[Dannemand]

I would purely be using the V30 as a DAP so I don't need any service on it but I do use Verizon as my carrier. I assume then that any of the locked phones have bloatware on them. Do the unlocked versions that aren't US998 come with any bloatware? Ideally, I'd like to buy a new V30 and I saw a few on eBay and they were unlocked, just not the US998 version.

Certainly if you know you won't need service, that makes it much more flexible. Any model will do in that case.

I've had H932 myself (my wife still has one) and it is a fine phone if you don't want to root it (still possible, but harder and riskier) and don't need service on another carrier (carrier unlock only possible with TMO's blessing).

I currently have open market US998 (converted from Sprint LS998) which is wonderful because it can be used on several carriers (CDMA as well as GSM, though it actually has fewer LTE bands than H932) and also because it's so easy to root and mod. All North American models can be cross-flashed (EXCEPT H932 -- attempt no landing there!) So they can be converted to US998, even if just temporarily for unlock and root. Or they can be converted to (another) carrier model to get network features and bands for that model. I tried the AT&T H931 ROM with my AT&T MVNO, but ended up going back to US998 ROM. It's not that hard to do.

Surprisingly, US998 has more bloatware than the carrier models. Starting with Oreo, US998 comes with a nasty piece of crapware called Mobile Services Manager, which serves no useful purpose, despite its name. It downloads a dozen worthless games and other apps when you first setup the phone. They can be easily uninstalled, and Mobile Services Manager itself can be disabled in the Apps menu -- but you have to be fast if you want to do it before it downloads its crap. We're speculating that this thing was added by the carrier US Cellular, who distribute US998 as their carrier model, using the same ROM.

None of the other carrier models have this filth. Some have Facebook, Amazon, Instagram and a few other apps, which really shouldn't be pre-installed in my opinion. But they can be easily disabled in the Apps menu.

All models of V30 contain two tracking services which you want to remove using ADB (no root required) both to speed up the phone and to prevent it from sending tracking information to LG. H932 includes an additional T-Mobile tracking service which you want to remove for the same reasons. All carrier models contain a few apps specific to that carrier, which can be removed the same way.

Spoiler: Remove tracking services from V30 using ADB

adb devices
adb shell

# SRTC (LG Root Checker)
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.lge.srtc

# LG LDB/MLT (LG tracking service)
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.lge.mlt

# T-Mobile root tracking service
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.tmobile.pr.adapt

I too prefer buying new, mainly to have warranty in case something fails. LG even offers 2nd Year warranty, as long as you register within 90 days of purchase from an official LG reseller. However, to my understanding no sale on eBay will qualify for LG warranty.

I don't know if you'll be able to get a new unit from any official source: This phone was first sold over 3 years ago, and I bet no new units have been manufactured in the last 1.5-2 years. I wouldn't trust any eBay sellers who claim to have inventory of new V30 units. We have several reports on XDA of V30 units pieced together by spare parts from different models and sold by Chinese sellers on eBay and AliEXpress as new or "refurbished". The latter doesn't mean anything unless it's official LG refurbishing (which you can buy for $153 if you break your phone).

At this time, I would be more trusting of a seller who can give an honest account of the source and history of a used phone than of those sellers pretending to sell new or refurbished units. And make sure to have a no questions asked return policy.

Battery is of course a reason to buy new. You could ask the seller of a used phone to look up the battery cycle count (it's in the phone's hidden menu). But that count is reset when you Refurbish flash its firmware, so not the most reliable.

That's all I can think of. Good luck to you. V30 is still a great device after 3 years -- even as a daily phone, but certainly as a music device

 

[RishiGuru]

Hello! Has anyone here decided to go with android 10 instead of 9? I have 9, but im a little divided if i should update or not! Want some tips

If you are not into native DSD playback on your LG V40, then surely upgrade to Android 10!!! Why not?

However if you love DSD audio, then it complicates the situation. I would have stayed on Android 9 as DSD is a must for me. On 9, LG have system wide DoP available for native DSD payback to let the DoP encoded containerized PCM stream (containing unadulterated DSD audio) straight to inbuilt DAC or USB port. However on Android 10, LG seems to have all together removed this support. Why, I think nobody knows over here. On 10, the UAPP or LG default music app due to system wide un-availability of DoP, will perform DSD to PCM decoding as PCM is only allowed in Android. This is detrimental to audio quality as oversampling and filtering gets involved which also add significant processing overhead.

I also find a lot of people accuses Android 10 for lack of DoP/ native DSD playback. I cannot find any reason why. I have a pair of Vivo NEX S running on Android 10. They play DSD files natively just fine.

 

[Earl of Bouillon]

Certainly if you know you won't need service, that makes it much more flexible. Any model will do in that case.

I've had H932 myself (my wife still has one) and it is a fine phone if you don't want to root it (still possible, but harder and riskier) and don't need service on another carrier (carrier unlock only possible with TMO's blessing).

I currently have open market US998 (converted from Sprint LS998) which is wonderful because it can be used on several carriers (CDMA as well as GSM, though it actually has fewer LTE bands than H932) and also because it's so easy to root and mod. All North American models can be cross-flashed (EXCEPT H932 -- attempt no landing there!) So they can be converted to US998, even if just temporarily for unlock and root. Or they can be converted to (another) carrier model to get network features and bands for that model. I tried the AT&T H931 ROM with my AT&T MVNO, but ended up going back to US998 ROM. It's not that hard to do.

Surprisingly, US998 has more bloatware than the carrier models. Starting with Oreo, US998 comes with a nasty piece of crapware called Mobile Services Manager, which serves no useful purpose, despite its name. It downloads a dozen worthless games and other apps when you first setup the phone. They can be easily uninstalled, and Mobile Services Manager itself can be disabled in the Apps menu -- but you have to be fast if you want to do it before it downloads its crap. We're speculating that this thing was added by the carrier US Cellular, who distribute US998 as their carrier model, using the same ROM.

None of the other carrier models have this filth. Some have Facebook, Amazon, Instagram and a few other apps, which really shouldn't be pre-installed in my opinion. But they can be easily disabled in the Apps menu.

All models of V30 contain two tracking services which you want to remove using ADB (no root required) both to speed up the phone and to prevent it from sending tracking information to LG. H932 includes an additional T-Mobile tracking service which you want to remove for the same reasons. All carrier models contain a few apps specific to that carrier, which can be removed the same way.

Spoiler: Remove tracking services from V30 using ADB

adb devices
adb shell

# SRTC (LG Root Checker)
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.lge.srtc

# LG LDB/MLT (LG tracking service)
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.lge.mlt

# T-Mobile root tracking service
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.tmobile.pr.adapt

I too prefer buying new, mainly to have warranty in case something fails. LG even offers 2nd Year warranty, as long as you register within 90 days of purchase from an official LG reseller. However, to my understanding no sale on eBay will qualify for LG warranty.

I don't know if you'll be able to get a new unit from any official source: This phone was first sold over 3 years ago, and I bet no new units have been manufactured in the last 1.5-2 years. I wouldn't trust any eBay sellers who claim to have inventory of new V30 units. We have several reports on XDA of V30 units pieced together by spare parts from different models and sold by Chinese sellers on eBay and AliEXpress as new or "refurbished". The latter doesn't mean anything unless it's official LG refurbishing (which you can buy for $153 if you break your phone).

At this time, I would be more trusting of a seller who can give an honest account of the source and history of a used phone than of those sellers pretending to sell new or refurbished units. And make sure to have a no questions asked return policy.

Battery is of course a reason to buy new. You could ask the seller of a used phone to look up the battery cycle count (it's in the phone's hidden menu). But that count is reset when you Refurbish flash its firmware, so not the most reliable.

That's all I can think of. Good luck to you. V30 is still a great device after 3 years -- even as a daily phone, but certainly as a music device

After getting the first package lost and refunded, I now am a proud owner of a V30 (I got a H932 variant)! I followed your steps to uninstall the tracking services but how do I find out the name of the other preinstalled apps so that l can uninstall them the same way using ADB?

 

[Dannemand]

After getting the first package lost and refunded, I now am a proud owner of a V30 (I got a H932 variant)! I followed your steps to uninstall the tracking services but how do I find out the name of the other preinstalled apps so that l can uninstall them the same way using ADB?

Congrats on your V30!

Most pre-installed apps can be disabled from Settings->General->Apps & notifications->App info. Click the 3-dot menu and show System apps. This approach is mostly harmless and reversible. Still, don't be too aggressive with system apps, as some may be needed for purposes you don't realize. Some candidates for disabling (your H932 may not have them all):

Spoiler: System app candidates for Disabling from Apps menu

Amazon Assistant
City ID
Device Unlock (H932)
Duo
Facebook
Facebook App Manager
Facebook App Installer
Google Pay
Instagram
LG Health
Mobile Services Manager (US998)
Sheets
Shortcuts
Slides

On H932, the only other System apps I would recommend removing/uninstalling are listed below (including the ones you already did):

Spoiler: H932 apps to ADB uninstall

# T-Mobile tracking
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.tmobile.pr.adapt

# T-Mobile Nameid
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.tmobile.services.nameid

T-Mobile (account mgmt)
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.tmobile.pr.mytmobile

# T-Mobile Device Unlock (can be disabled in Apps menu)
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.tmobile.simlock

# SRTC LG Root Checker
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.lge.srtc

# LG LDB/MLT (tracking service)
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.lge.mlt

While I did uninstall a bunch of other system apps myself when I got my first V30 (also H932) I don't actually recommend it, both because there is a risk of breaking system integrity, and because the LG software is quite well optimized already. That said, it is possible to improve Idle battery drain by uninstalling some additional system apps.

The process if you want to experiment is to use an app like App Inspector from UBQSoft to find the full name of each app, then uninstall it using ADB as above. Just be careful, do only one or two at a time, be prepared to start over in case something goes wrong, and make sure to have a backup of your data. If you break something using ADB uninstall, you can risk ending up with a boot-looping or non-booting phone. In that case perform a Master Reset (so-called Button Dance, google it). This will wipe the phone completely and thus re-install all system apps.

I recommend spending more time enjoying the phone and the music, and only a little time fiddling with these things

 

[Earl of Bouillon]

Congrats on your V30!

Most pre-installed apps can be disabled from Settings->General->Apps & notifications->App info. Click the 3-dot menu and show System apps. This approach is mostly harmless and reversible. Still, don't bee too aggressive with system apps, as some may be needed for purposes you don't realize. Some candidates for disabling are (your H932 may not have them all):

Spoiler: System app candidates for Disabling from Apps menu

Amazon Assistant
City ID
Device Unlock (H932)
Duo
Facebook
Facebook App Manager
Facebook App Installer
Google Pay
Instagram
LG Health
Mobile Services Manager (US998)
Sheets
Shortcuts
Slides

On H932, the only other System apps I would recommend removing/uninstalling are listed below (including the ones you already did):

Spoiler: H932 apps to ADB uninstall

# T-Mobile tracking
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.tmobile.pr.adapt

# T-Mobile Nameid
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.tmobile.services.nameid

T-Mobile (account mgmt)
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.tmobile.pr.mytmobile

# T-Mobile Device Unlock (can be disabled in Apps menu)
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.tmobile.simlock

# SRTC LG Root Checker
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.lge.srtc

# LG LDB/MLT (tracking service)
pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.lge.mlt

While I did uninstall a bunch of other system apps myself when I got my first V30 (also H932) I don't actually recommend it, both because there is a risk of breaking system integrity, and because the LG software is quite well optimized already. That said, it is possible to improve Idle battery drain by uninstalling some additional system apps.

The process if you want to experiment is to use an app like App Inspector from UBQSoft to find the full name of each app, then uninstall it using ADB as above. Just be careful, do only one or two at a time, be prepared to start over in case something goes wrong, and make sure to have a backup of your data. If you break something using ADB uninstall, you can risk ending up with a boot-looping or non-booting phone. In that case perform a Master Reset (so-called Button Dance, google it). This will wipe the phone completely and thus re-install all system apps.

I recommend spending more time enjoying the phone and the music, and only a little time fiddling with these things

Thank you so much! I've downloaded Nova Launcher and I don't really feel the need to uninstall everything because I can selectively choose what I want to see on my home screen now. I'd highly recommend it to any new Android users like myself.

 

[Dannemand]

Thank you so much! I've downloaded Nova Launcher and I don't really feel the need to uninstall everything because I can selectively choose what I want to see on my home screen now. I'd highly recommend it to any new Android users like myself.

That's exactly right. I use Nova as well.

Even with the built-on Home & App drawer, you can select just the apps you want on the home screen.

Make sure to check out the V30 music apps, tips and tricks thread here on Head-fi.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/music-apps-tips-and-tricks-for-the-lg-v30.868978/

 

[W1ll1eTheP1mp]

If you are not into native DSD playback on your LG V40, then surely upgrade to Android 10!!! Why not?

However if you love DSD audio, then it complicates the situation. I would have stayed on Android 9 as DSD is a must for me. On 9, LG have system wide DoP available for native DSD payback to let the DoP encoded containerized PCM stream (containing unadulterated DSD audio) straight to inbuilt DAC or USB port. However on Android 10, LG seems to have all together removed this support. Why, I think nobody knows over here. On 10, the UAPP or LG default music app due to system wide un-availability of DoP, will perform DSD to PCM decoding as PCM is only allowed in Android. This is detrimental to audio quality as oversampling and filtering gets involved which also add significant processing overhead.

I also find a lot of people accuses Android 10 for lack of DoP/ native DSD playback. I cannot find any reason why. I have a pair of Vivo NEX S running on Android 10. They play DSD files natively just fine.

I will keep Android 10 until i find some DSD files to compare with regular FLAC as i use. Where do u get your DSD files?

 

[RishiGuru]

I will keep Android 10 until i find some DSD files to compare with regular FLAC as i use. Where do u get your DSD files?

I own the SACDs.

 

[W1ll1eTheP1mp]

I own the SACDs.

So u rip them from SACD? I want DSD but nativedsd doesnt have my kind of music. But maybe it is easier to find a SACD of my music?

 

[Taz777]

Does anybody know if the V30 can be used just as a digital transport via USB Audio or digital coaxial? I have external DACs that I want to connect it to. I have OTG cables, so USB Audio should work fine, but what about digital coax for connecting to an integrated amplifier that only has either a Toslink (optical) input or a digital coaxial input?

 

[GoodEnoughGear]

Does anybody know if the V30 can be used just as a digital transport via USB Audio or digital coaxial? I have external DACs that I want to connect it to. I have OTG cables, so USB Audio should work fine, but what about digital coax for connecting to an integrated amplifier that only has either a Toslink (optical) input or a digital coaxial input?

You'd have to use a DDC for coaxial. For USB no problem, use Universal Audio Player Pro or Neutron.

 

[Taz777]

You'd have to use a DDC for coaxial. For USB no problem, use Universal Audio Player Pro or Neutron.

Yes, I have UAPP already installed on my V30. For coaxial, what is DDC?

 

[GoodEnoughGear]

Yes, I have UAPP already installed on my V30. For coaxial, what is DDC?

Digital to Digital Converter, converting USB (typically) to Digital Coax/Optical/AES. For example Singxer SU-1: https://kitsunehifi.com/product/singxersu1black/

 

[TrollmannKatz]

look, i made some screenshots. It is lg v30 android 9, the regular up to date power amp version from google play store:



If I can believe what poweramp shows, then so isee that no resample is taking place. So i can theoretically always set the khz number correctly (that's just a bit cumbersome). It's just not as convenient as in neutron, I know that neutron automatically adjusts the khz correctly. Although I almost always leave it set to 44, since the majority of my music collection is in 44 kHz anyway.

 

[Dannemand]

look, i made some screenshots. It is lg v30 android 9, the regular up to date power amp version from google play store:



If I can believe what poweramp shows, then so isee that no resample is taking place. So i can theoretically always set the khz number correctly (that's just a bit cumbersome). It's just not as convenient as in neutron, I know that neutron automatically adjusts the khz correctly. Although I almost always leave it set to 44, since the majority of my music collection is in 44 kHz anyway.

Actually, what Neutron and UAPP do is they pad 16-bit samples to 24-bit (which has no impact on the audio) since 24-bit can be played through Direct path on V30, i.e. bypassing the Mixer and going straight to the DAC.

They don't resample ANYTHING unless you specifically configure them to -- which you would never want, as the DAC already does its own upsampling and conversion to DSD in a far better quality than an app can do. (There are some desktop apps, such as HQPlayer, which can perform advanced upsampling, but they are very CPU intensive, and mostly used with No-Oversampling (NOS) DACs.)

In the case of PowerAmp, we hope (and assume) that there is no resampling or other bit changes taking place when converting from 44/16 to 44/24, except padding eight zero-bits on each sample.

In the case of any 24-bit file (including all HiRes) you should configure it to do NOTHING at all: No resampling. Just send it to the DAC using Direct path.

And yes, it is inconvenient in PowerAmp to have to change configuration all the time, but for users who only play EITHER HiRes OR 44/16, and who otherwise like the PowerAmp UI, it shouldn't be a problem.

I personally prefer UAPP, and actually like its UI. Others like Neutron, but I never cared for its UI.