[ra990]

Is thee a way to make high impedance work all the time with even lower impedance haadphones ?

Read through this thread, there's a couple tricks, but it's a pain in the ass basically. No easy way to do it. https://forum.xda-developers.com/lg-v30/help/modes-quad-dac-t3690567

 

[ra990]

You should really check out the hifiman edition x v2's. They're end game for me.

Agree, been using them for the past week or so, the V30 drives them well but you have to use the external device trick by plugging the cable into the phone first, then the headphones. Basically, the phone goes into external device mode when just the cable is connected, then I connect the cable to the headphones, which keeps the phone in that mode. Otherwise, the phone treats the headphones as low impedance device and I barely get decent volume even at max.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

Do you experience same audio quality with even Lower impedance headphones which doesn’t trigger full quad dac mode ?

How’s those headphones should when compared with ur other DaPs?

The impedance has nothing to do with SQ. A 300ohm headphone does not sound inherently better or worse than a 10ohm one. What matters is that the headphones are getting the appropriate amount of power from the device, that's why the v30 has its high impedance mode.

The full quad-DAC is still on no matter impedance. That's not how it works.

 

[csglinux]

The impedance has nothing to do with SQ. A 300ohm headphone does not sound inherently better or worse than a 10ohm one. What matters is that the headphones are getting the appropriate amount of power from the device, that's why the v30 has its high impedance mode.

The full quad-DAC is still on no matter impedance. That's not how it works.

Thank you for being the voice of sanity here!

 

[SeeSax]

Do you experience same audio quality with even Lower impedance headphones which doesn’t trigger full quad dac mode ?

How’s those headphones should when compared with ur other DaPs?

Yes, I believe the audio quality is the same, it's just that you have to increase the volume higher and sometimes, there isn't enough volume on low impedance, but low sensitivity IEMs.

Does Andromeda triggers high impedance mode on v30? Since it’s not high impedance headphones

And if it triggers only normal mode of dac does it still sound good to you ?

I don't think Andromeda will trigger high-impedance since they are below 50 ohms. Andros shouldn't need it, though.

-Collin-

 

[musicday]

For someone to consider selling his Hugo 2 and DX200 just to use V30, is a great audio achievement from a mobile phone.
Tried in the shop and it is better then any phone i heard, unfortunately i didn't have my Pioneer headphones to try.
Even the FM radio sounds much better than other phones i tried before.
The price is going down rapidly every day in UK at least,for H930 DS model.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I don't think Andromeda will trigger high-impedance since they are below 50 ohms. Andros shouldn't need it, though.

-Collin-

If anything, forcing high-impedance would be a horrible idea for the Andro because they're low impedance and high sensitivity. You'd get more volume at the expense of noise/hiss.

 

[SeeSax]

If anything, forcing high-impedance would be a horrible idea for the Andro because they're low impedance and high sensitivity. You'd get more volume at the expense of noise/hiss.

Totally agree, it seems the Andromedas are similar to the SE846 in that they will really test the noise floor of sources. I even saw complaints of the DX200 hissing with them.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

I feel like people are trying to force high-impedance under the misguided belief that it will "sound better." High impedance doesn't mean "high quality," it means it's firing extra amplifier power at the headphones. That's all. If you're forcing high impedance and then listening at half volume you're completely wasting your time.

The Quad-DAC is active and running at full SQ no matter what impedance you're talking about. Unless you're dealing with a set of headphones that need more juice because even at full volume they're not loud enough (the P1 did it for me), there is literally no need to do this "trick."

 

[saj2001ind]

I feel like people are trying to force high-impedance under the misguided belief that it will "sound better." High impedance doesn't mean "high quality," it means it's firing extra amplifier power at the headphones. That's all. If you're forcing high impedance and then listening at half volume you're completely wasting your time.

The Quad-DAC is active and running at full SQ no matter what impedance you're talking about. Unless you're dealing with a set of headphones that need more juice because even at full volume they're not loud enough (the P1 did it for me), there is literally no need to do this "trick."

thats sounds sensible, so what exactly happen with different modes of quad dac like normal, high impedence, basically whats the difference ?

 

[SomeGuyDude]

thats sounds sensible, so what exactly happen with different modes of quad dac like normal, high impedence, basically whats the difference ?

Literally just the impedance.

Think of impedance (and this is a rough analogy but stick with me) like the diameter of a straw, and you're drinking a soda. Low impedance is like having a big ol' straw. It doesn't take much power to get the soda up through it. You use a tiny straw and you're going to need to suck REALLY hard to get that soda up through it. You're getting the same soda either way, but you need to put a lot more force into the latter case.

The v30 reads the headphones plugged in, goes "okay, they're X ohms, I need to give them Y power," and off you go.

 

[saj2001ind]

Literally just the impedance.

Think of impedance (and this is a rough analogy but stick with me) like the diameter of a straw, and you're drinking a soda. Low impedance is like having a big ol' straw. It doesn't take much power to get the soda up through it. You use a tiny straw and you're going to need to suck REALLY hard to get that soda up through it. You're getting the same soda either way, but you need to put a lot more force into the latter case.

The v30 reads the headphones plugged in, goes "okay, they're X ohms, I need to give them Y power," and off you go.

So DAC if used with full potential all the time in quad DAC ... No matter what imoedence headphone we plug ? LG just decided how much power to send and adjust amp output only ....so ideally we should not hear any difference in sound quality

Kinda like high gain and low gain in DAPs ?

 

[csglinux]

So DAC if used with full potential all the time in quad DAC ... No matter what imoedence headphone we plug ? LG just decided how much power to send and adjust amp output only ....so ideally we should not hear any difference in sound quality

Kinda like high gain and low gain in DAPs ?

Exactly. The DAC and amp are separate entities in the V30. The impedance of the headphones only alters the output power of the amp.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

So DAC if used with full potential all the time in quad DAC ... No matter what imoedence headphone we plug ? LG just decided how much power to send and adjust amp output only ....so ideally we should not hear any difference in sound quality

Kinda like high gain and low gain in DAPs ?

Bingo! Think of it like high/low gain except LG controls it instead of you because LG is kinda stupid that way. It makes things a PITA if you have headphones that need the extra power but don't have high impedance (planars, for example).

 

[gunwale]

My 75 150 and 200 ohms adapter by dunu just arrived. I plugged in the 75 ohms and the high impedance mode pop out.

So far the sq is smoother, less edgy and less artifact. I am using oriolus v2 with thor silver 2.