LG V20 Sound Quality

[jaredjcrandall8]

I've been switching between my ayre codex balanced and the lg v20. The v20 is aroud 90% of the codex. I notice more soundstage when listening to the codex. Music is slightly smoother on the codex. I have only been listening for a few hours but I don't know how confident I'd be if I did a blind test i.e. didn't know which dac/amp I was using.  

 

[WayTooCrazy]

  I've been switching between my ayre codex balanced and the lg v20. The v20 is aroud 90% of the codex. I notice more soundstage when listening to the codex. Music is slightly smoother on the codex. I have only been listening for a few hours but I don't know how confident I'd be if I did a blind test i.e. didn't know which dac/amp I was using.  

Wow, that sounds promising. What headphones are you using? I'd like to know how to get into this "high" power mode since I don't get enough volume out of my Audeze EL-8.

 

[jaredjcrandall8]

  Wow, that sounds promising. What headphones are you using? I'd like to know how to get into this "high" power mode since I don't get enough volume out of my Audeze EL-8.

The caveat to my listening is that I don't know songs to the extreme in which I can't point out differences, so my listening, even when going back and forth, is critical but I am not an audiophile. I was actually underwhelmed at first by the phone when I received it yesterday, but when I gave it some time I enjoyed it and am trying to find differences between it and the ayre--I like keeping the reference dac/amp to be safe.
 
I am using Astell and Kern angie 2s and 64 audio a6--mostly the angie 2s. I'll be trying the focal elears tomorrow. I am hoping that the phone can drive them for the times I like to roam at home.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

  The caveat to my listening is that I don't know songs to the extreme in which I can't point out differences, so my listening, even when going back and forth, is critical but I am not an audiophile. I was actually underwhelmed at first by the phone when I received it yesterday, but when I gave it some time I enjoyed it and am trying to find differences between it and the ayre--I like keeping the reference dac/amp to be safe.
 
I am using Astell and Kern angie 2s and 64 audio a6--mostly the angie 2s. I'll be trying the focal elears tomorrow. I am hoping that the phone can drive them for the times I like to roam at home.

Nice! I'm also looking into the elears myself. Those look very promising.

 

[jaredjcrandall8]

 
Nice! I'm also looking into the elears myself. Those look very promising.

I spend too much on buying and selling equipment.  Let's create a company that just exchanges good temporarily.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

  I spend too much on buying and selling equipment.  Let's create a company that just exchanges good temporarily.

I actually designed a company/website for school that was based on lending equipment (after verified credit - they need some type of insurance), that allowed 2 weeks to listen and then return the equipment with no obligation. I actually wish something existed. I'd pay $25-50 to listen to equipment for 2 weeks to insure that it was something that I wanted to spend my hard earned on without regrets.
 
AudioLend

 

[jaredjcrandall8]

 
I actually designed a company/website for school that was based on lending equipment (after verified credit - they need some type of insurance), that allowed 2 weeks to listen and then return the equipment with no obligation. I actually wish something existed. I'd pay $25-50 to listen to equipment for 2 weeks to insure that it was something that I wanted to spend my hard earned on without regrets.
 
AudioLend

A good idea, and a way to give some people a taste of high-end luxury items.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

Ok. So, i tossed on my TH-X00 Purple Heart and listened to some bass heavy songs (Timmy Trumpet), and they slam with this phone. Soooo,much better than my Xperia Z3v or Galaxy Note 3.

 

[jaredjcrandall8]

Ok. So, i tossed on my TH-X00 Purple Heart and listened to some bass heavy songs (Timmy Trumpet), and they slam with this phone. Soooo,much better than my Xperia Z3v or Galaxy Note 3.

Nice. I've noticed that the bass going from the stock DAC to the quad DAC is much better, the stock DAC bass is so dirty, albeit more prominent in bass but in a very sloppy way like streaming mp3. Another interesting thing i notice is that the vocals seem more recessed in the quad but I believe it is due to the quad DAC providing a smooth sound that gives the impression of lower volume but in actuality the sound is just less offensive.

 

[truckdriver]

Nice. I've noticed that the bass going from the stock DAC to the quad DAC is much better, the stock DAC bass is so dirty, albeit more prominent in bass but in a very sloppy way like streaming mp3. Another interesting thing i notice is that the vocals seem more recessed in the quad but I believe it is due to the quad DAC providing a smooth sound that gives the impression of lower volume but in actuality the sound is just less offensive.

There's a "stock DAC"? This is the first time I've heard anyone mention a stock DAC. I thought the quad DAC was the only DAC for the headphone out. No one has written about this.

 

[jaredjcrandall8]

There's a "stock DAC"? This is the first time I've heard anyone mention a stock DAC. I thought the quad DAC was the only DAC for the headphone out. No one has written about this.

The "stock DAC" is the main processor DAC. The phone allows for the user to turn off and on the Quad DAC in order to save power. 

 

[truckdriver]

The "stock DAC" is the main processor DAC. The phone allows for the user to turn off and on the Quad DAC in order to save power. 

Okay. I read (before the phone came out) that the quad DAC had a power saving bypass circuit that allowed for turning off some of its features. I didn't know you could bypass the DAC altogether like the V10.

 

[jagwap]

Wow, that sounds promising. What headphones are you using? I'd like to know how to get into this "high" power mode since I don't get enough volume out of my Audeze EL-8.

There are two modes with higher output. The easy way with the audeze is to unplug the earpiece end of the cable before connecting the phone end, then reconnect. This will fool the amp that it sees a line in, and increase the maximum output. This is a bit of a faff, so get a short extension cable to do this regularly.

If the amp sees more than 50 ohms and less than 600 (I'm estimating) it seems anecdotally that even more output is released.

Hopefully when the V20 gets rooted we can do this in the firmwareoke on the v10.

 

[jagwap]

Ok. So, i tossed on my TH-X00 Purple Heart and listened to some bass heavy songs (Timmy Trumpet), and they slam with this phone. Soooo,much better than my Xperia Z3v or Galaxy Note 3.

"Tossing on" your Purple Heart means something quite different in Britain, and would most likely invalidate your warranty.

 

[WayTooCrazy]

"Tossing on" your Purple Heart means something quite different in Britain, and would most likely invalidate your warranty.

or perhaps be a better polish than what Massdrop provided.