[waveSounds]

More like taking a spoon to a gunfight...

 

[Magnum97]

Hi audiophiles!

I found LG G7 and V30 for around $120 on eBay.
Both are GSM Unlocked, pre-owned but in A-grade condition. The seller is "yywirelesss" with %99 rating.
So I think that I'm gonna have a safe buy...

However, I have 2 questions about them:

1) Which one sounds better?
I mean, which one has better clarity? deeper bass? wider soundstage? better instrument seperation?
I wanna hear a detailed comparison from someone who used both of them.

2) How they both stand against the DAPs?
Can they at least beat the similarly-priced DAPs like Shanling M0? or maybe even the more expensive ones?

It would be really helpful if anyone answers my questions in detail and based on their real-life experiences, not based on looking at the spec-sheet.

Also, I'm not going to use a crazy 600-ohm headphone or something like that. The craziest thing I would use is Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250-ohm.
So please consider it. Thanks!

 

[whoever81]

Hi audiophiles!

I found LG G7 and V30 for around $120 on eBay.
Both are GSM Unlocked, pre-owned but in A-grade condition. The seller is "yywirelesss" with %99 rating.
So I think that I'm gonna have a safe buy...

However, I have 2 questions about them:

1) Which one sounds better?
I mean, which one has better clarity? deeper bass? wider soundstage? better instrument seperation?
I wanna hear a detailed comparison from someone who used both of them.

2) How they both stand against the DAPs?
Can they at least beat the similarly-priced DAPs like Shanling M0? or maybe even the more expensive ones?

It would be really helpful if anyone answers my questions in detail and based on their real-life experiences, not based on looking at the spec-sheet.

Also, I'm not going to use a crazy 600-ohm headphone or something like that. The craziest thing I would use is Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250-ohm.
So please consider it. Thanks!

Just get one of them. At that price I would buy both probably. They use the exact same dac. Even if there are differences in the implementation I would bet my left nut you won't be able to hear them. Don't know about Shanling M0 or other daps but I wouldn't overthink it. These are a great deal and great daps regardless. I would focus more on what headphones I am going to use with them.
Not the answer you requested but I had to chime in.

 

[alucard177]

Hi audiophiles!

I found LG G7 and V30 for around $120 on eBay.
Both are GSM Unlocked, pre-owned but in A-grade condition. The seller is "yywirelesss" with %99 rating.
So I think that I'm gonna have a safe buy...

However, I have 2 questions about them:

1) Which one sounds better?
I mean, which one has better clarity? deeper bass? wider soundstage? better instrument seperation?
I wanna hear a detailed comparison from someone who used both of them.

2) How they both stand against the DAPs?
Can they at least beat the similarly-priced DAPs like Shanling M0? or maybe even the more expensive ones?

It would be really helpful if anyone answers my questions in detail and based on their real-life experiences, not based on looking at the spec-sheet.

Also, I'm not going to use a crazy 600-ohm headphone or something like that. The craziest thing I would use is Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250-ohm.
So please consider it. Thanks!

Never heard the Shanling M0 but I had the Hidizs AP80 and I never felt it was an upgrade to my Samsung S9. I couldn't tell any difference in pure sound quality. The sound signatures were different though and the AP80 sounded boring to me. The best things I've tried and enjoyed are the LG V20/30 and specially the AK Jr but remember that this is all subjective and based on preference. For some, an M0 or even an iPod 5g could beat the V30 based on their preference. There are objective things in which the V30 wins over a long list of DAPs, example: the oled qhd display, ability to install any android app from the store, you have phone, instant messaging and great audio in one device, etcetera.

 

[Dannemand]

I found LG G7 and V30 for around $120 on eBay.
Both are GSM Unlocked, pre-owned but in A-grade condition. The seller is "yywirelesss" with %99 rating.
So I think that I'm gonna have a safe buy...

However, I have 2 questions about them:

1) Which one sounds better?
I mean, which one has better clarity? deeper bass? wider soundstage? better instrument seperation?
I wanna hear a detailed comparison from someone who used both of them.

2) How they both stand against the DAPs?
Can they at least beat the similarly-priced DAPs like Shanling M0? or maybe even the more expensive ones?

It would be really helpful if anyone answers my questions in detail and based on their real-life experiences, not based on looking at the spec-sheet.

I bought two V30s from that eBay seller, both in good condition: One was exceptional, and now my daily driver. The other is a backup phone.

I have never heard the G7, but when deciding between them, consider the following (in addition to sound quality):

1) V30 has OLED display (deeper blacks). G7 has LED display (brighter, more power hungry).

2) V30 has 3300mAh battery, known for good battery life. G7 3000mAh battery, known for poor(er) battery life.

3) The V30 units sold by yywirelesss are all former Sprint LS998 models which means 128GB storage (V30+). All G7 models are 64GB storage.

4) V30 has SD835 processor. G7 has SD845 processor, slightly faster.

5) G7 has a very tall form factor with a notch (I don't mind notch, but some people do).

6) Both models can now be rooted, although the V30 model in question (US998) is incredibly open and easy to root.

7) G7 is newer and will receive Android 10. V30 will not.

Of course both have the same ES9218P DAC, although some claim improved noise performance for G7 (search back in this thread).

BTW, the Shanling M0 you mention also uses ES9218P. @csglinux has given it good marks earlier in this thread, saying its signature is very similar to V30 -- but without the issue playing 16/44 that plagues all LG Quad DAC phones.

As for the direct comparisons you ask for, I am afraid I cannot help there.

 

[Magnum97]

I bought two V30s from that eBay seller, both in good condition: One was exceptional, and now my daily driver. The other is a backup phone.

I have never heard the G7, but when deciding between them, consider the following (in addition to sound quality):

1) V30 has OLED display (deeper blacks). G7 has LED display (brighter, more power hungry).

2) V30 has 3300mAh battery, known for good battery life. G7 3000mAh battery, known for poor(er) battery life.

3) The V30 units sold by yywirelesss are all former Sprint LS998 models which means 128GB storage (V30+). All G7 models are 64GB storage.

4) V30 has SD835 processor. G7 has SD845 processor, slightly faster.

5) G7 has a very tall form factor with a notch (I don't mind notch, but some people do).

6) Both models can now be rooted, although the V30 model in question (US998) is incredibly open and easy to root.

7) G7 is newer and will receive Android 10. V30 will not.

Of course both have the same ES9218P DAC, although some claim improved noise performance for G7 (search back in this thread).

BTW, the Shanling M0 you mention also uses ES9218P. @csglinux has given it good marks earlier in this thread, saying its signature is very similar to V30 -- but without the issue playing 16/44 that plagues all LG Quad DAC phones.

As for the direct comparisons you ask for, I am afraid I cannot help there.

Damn, I totally forgot about the Root... A little backstory about it:

Back in 2 years ago, I bought my current phone (Huawei Y5 II) which is pretty trash at every aspect. Especially the sound quality. The speaker is one of the worst I've ever heard. Believe it or not, but when I compared it against a Sony Ericsson Z530i (a Java phone from 2006) the Z530i destroyed it. At that moment, I was interested and disappointed, at the same time.

The same thing can be said about the headphone jack quality. It's a nightmare for someone like me who really cares about the audio quality. I've got so good ears that even using this phone with a cheap earphone like Audio Technica CKL220iS, I can clearly hear a difference between a 320kbps MP3 song and a 192kbps MP3 song.

But damn, when I rooted my phone and installed Viper4Android, the difference was like night and day. There was sooo much difference that I could not go back and not to use V4A. It made PowerAmp and JetAudio sound like a horrible joke. I'm pretty sure everyone who used V4A would agree with me.

But I remember rooting my phone with an one-click app. Not by unlocking bootloader and flashing TWRP and SuperSU.
So months later, Huawei decided to shut down the unlocking bootloader service. At first, I really didn't care about it. But when I updated my phone, damn... no rooting app was able to root it. Not anymore... And I could not unlock my bootloader either. I had no other choice but to go back and stick with this crappy phone's crappy default quality.
I don't know how to describe it, but I NEVER enjoyed the music after that...

I miss the root access and Viper4Android sooo much that I still have the IRS file, which plays a big role in why "V4A makes a day and night difference".

All that being said, I have a new question:
Which LGs are Root-able? The newer, the better.

See, I know that every LG with Quad-DAC would sound good enough, rooted or not. But man, that Viper4Android is a HUGE plus! HUUUGE plus!
if It made my crappy Huawei Y5 II sound degrees better, then I have no idea what would happen if it joins LG's Quad-DAC?!!!

 

[Dannemand]

Which LGs are Root-able? The newer, the better.

See, I know that every LG with Quad-DAC would sound good enough, rooted or not. But man, that Viper4Android is a HUGE plus! HUUUGE plus!
if It made my crappy Huawei Y5 II sound degrees better, then I have no idea what would happen if it joins LG's Quad-DAC?!!!

Most European models are officially rootable (starting some time after release).

Among North American models, V30 is by far the easiest to root.

For the longest time, SD845 based models could not be rooted, but then engineering bootloaders and firehoses leaked, which now allows G7, V35 and V40 to be rooted.

No T-Mobile models are rootable, except V30 H932 (using a brilliant, but complex exploit, different from all the others).

G8/V50 and newer (outside Europe) are so far not rootable to my knowledge.

None of these are the easy one-click root variant, and some of them are quite involved. V30 US998 really is quite easy, although you still have to roll back to an earlier OS version using the LGUP software. Some command line work is required, but well described.

I have never used V4A myself, but many people love it. As I understand, it is old and has zero understanding of our ESS DAC. Seems a little to me like trying to make a Tesla sound like a Shelby, but I could be wrong

 

[rjoudrey]

Anyone interested in a really clean Sprint G7? I may also have a Cayin C5 headphone amp as well. They make a really nice pair.

 

[warbles]

Glad to see the V30 thread still active! Can I ask if anyone has yet discovered an IEM or headphone that best 'overcomes' the profound deficiency in the Quad DAC's bass supply?

 

[monsieurfromag3]

Glad to see the V30 thread still active! Can I ask if anyone has yet discovered an IEM or headphone that best 'overcomes' the profound deficiency in the Quad DAC's bass supply?

There is something about the V30, as with many amplification typologies it responds differently to different driver typologies. With dry, quick balanced armatures, bass can seem thin. But I have dynamic driver iems, like the Chord&Major Rock or IMR iems, which give out heaving, physical bass. My headphones also seem to deliver plentiful bass. Which headphones or iems do you use?

 

[Steve Wilcox]

I've never considered the LG V30 to be bass deficient. Are your IEMs sealing properly? A loose seal is generally the most common cause of bass deficiency.

 

[rjoudrey]

I've never considered the LG V30 to be bass deficient. Are your IEMs sealing properly? A loose seal is generally the most common cause of bass deficiency.

I find a good Equalizer works wonders for the bass deficiency I experienced with my HD660s. I have been using "Power Equalizer 10-Band". Works globally and adds nice deep bass and good punch.

 

[azattarj]

Hi!
I use LG V35 with Oriveti New Primacy. Recently I forced high impedance mode on V35 and to my surprise it narrowed soundstage depth, highs became laid back and airiness was affected too. I decided to revert changes back, after what I compared HiFi DAC (initial settings) enabled and disabled modes. IMO in disabled mode it still sounds better in terms of airiness, soundstage depth and highs. Maybe HiFi mode was designed for analytical IEMs in order to make them sound more musical, idk
Do you guys notice same kind of changes when HiFi turned on?

 

[3Putter]

Hi!
I use LG V35 with Oriveti New Primacy. Recently I forced high impedance mode on V35 and to my surprise it narrowed soundstage depth, highs became laid back and airiness was affected too. I decided to revert changes back, after what I compared HiFi DAC (initial settings) enabled and disabled modes. IMO in disabled mode it still sounds better in terms of airiness, soundstage depth and highs. Maybe HiFi mode was designed for analytical IEMs in order to make them sound more musical, idk
Do you guys notice same kind of changes when HiFi turned on?

Just the opposite. With the DAC turned off the sound quality and stage is greatly reduced.

 

[andrewski]

Hi!
I use LG V35 with Oriveti New Primacy. Recently I forced high impedance mode on V35 and to my surprise it narrowed soundstage depth, highs became laid back and airiness was affected too. I decided to revert changes back, after what I compared HiFi DAC (initial settings) enabled and disabled modes. IMO in disabled mode it still sounds better in terms of airiness, soundstage depth and highs. Maybe HiFi mode was designed for analytical IEMs in order to make them sound more musical, idk
Do you guys notice same kind of changes when HiFi turned on?

I definitely notice a reduction in detail / more fatigue when using HIM on iem's. Don't believe the hype