LG V20 - DAC Problem?

[chazglenn3]

The hi res output is only included in the alpha test version of Poweramp

 

[mlknez]

Re: Serious V20 Problem!!

I agree!! And the promo headphones sound awesome with it!!

The people who purchased it for the ability to non-destructively play hi-res files.

 

[godzillinois]

The hi res output is only included in the alpha test version of Poweramp

I don't see that in the Google Play store

 

[chazglenn3]

I don't see that in the Google Play store

You have to download it from the forum on the Poweramp website. The Play Store wouldn't have an alpha version of an app...I hope. Or a beta version for that matter.

 

[godzillinois]

You have to download it from the forum on the Poweramp website. The Play Store wouldn't have an alpha version of an app...I hope. Or a beta version for that matter.

Thank you, not too hip on this alpha, beta tech stuff despite having watched all three seasons of Silicon Valley and Mr. Robot

 

[BigRalphN]

Actually alpha and betas are often distributed through the play store but only for those with access, normally by a sign up process. Poweramp requires you to get it via their site first. You can easily find it by a web search. Keep in mind the V20 is not supported yet. It does work, but it's not specifically supported. There quite a few requests for it so hopefully it will be added soon.

 

[Mooncatt]

When you think about it, pretty much every program nowadays is just a permanent beta. XD

 

[emoears]

Try a high res set of headphones

 

[CaJuNpEckEr]

Re: Serious V20 Problem!!

Well said!!

 

[middbrew]

Indeed

 

[Rumblee1]

Let's face it. The primary reason that people are going to buy this phone is because it has the equivalent of a $300 external DAC/Amp built into it. LG has done advertising for months touting the ES9218 "Quad" DAC that they included. The only problem is that they include NO WAY TO USE IT!! The phones API only exposes the ES9218 DAC as a PCM 48Khz capable device. That means that the built in Qualcomm DAC that is worth about thirty cents is about as good. Here is proof from the developer of NeutronMP...

According your logs (Thank you for making them!) OS declares only one
(!!!) frequency - 48000 kHz. You can see it in logs:

[13:08:16] I <SFX>| enum: device 0
[13:08:16] I <SFX>| enum: id = 1
[13:08:16] I <SFX>| enum: type = 1
[13:08:16] I <SFX>| enum: name = LG-LS997
[13:08:16] I <SFX>| enum: is sink = 1
[13:08:16] I <SFX>| enum: is source = 0
[13:08:16] I <SFX>| enum: channels [1]:
[13:08:16] I <SFX>| - 1
[13:08:16] I <SFX>| enum: sample rates [1]:
[13:08:16] I <SFX>| - 48000
[13:08:16] I <SFX>| enum: sample types [1]:
[13:08:16] I <SFX>| - 2

It means firmware does not expose Hi-Fi DAC via this new API. Why LG can not make it and expose DAC and solve the problem with using full potential of the device - puzzle. Neutron would use it automatically if DAC is exposed by the firmware.

I have contacted both LG and Sprint and neither support staff is willing to escalate. We need to demand action as a group as this is the PRIMARY unique feature of this particular smartphone.

I had the v10. Hated it. It's gargantuan. Poor screen, poor battery life. I did try the v20, but it didn't impress me. I tried the ZTE axon 7. I bought it immediately. Installed the onkyo high rez player. It's excellent. With the dolby atmos on, it's incredible. Let me say that I'm a professional musician. My home system is all McIntosh with klipsch speakers, and I've got the onkyo dp-x1 hi rez player with klipsch reference headphones and bose qc3 to compare it with. It's certainly no match for the mac system (nothing is), but it holds its own.

 

[Mike Dee]

Of course no DAC with headphones will compare to your home system. As someone who used to work as a sound engineer for live bands and made guys like you sound great I can tell you that the V20 Quad DAC holds it own.

 

[Mike Dee]

I'm sorry, but you are incorrect. You will be seeing a firmware update from LG in the next couple of weeks. They have confirmed what I have found. The way to test this is to:

1. Obtain a REAL hi-res audio recording such as something that was originally recorded at 96khz/24bit, not digitized from an analog recording or upsampled.
2.Open that file in Adobe Audition (you should see energy above 24 kHz in the frequency spectrum display)
3. copy that file to your V20
4. attach a hi-res digital recorder to your headphone out jack
5. be sure that the hi-fi indicator is on
6. start the recorder and capture at the same sample rate and depth as the original file or higher.
7. take that captured file and load it into Adobe Audition.
8. The files should look nearly identical in the frequency spectrum view (but they won't, because all energy above 24khz is gone)

This same methodology will work for any of the players that I have tried.

So where is this firmware update you were told we would be getting?

 

[flyingkytez]

I can definitely tell you that it is NOT a placebo effect. I had a Galaxy S7 before and after switching to the V20, I don't think I can go back to a phone without a high quality audio playback. I can hear much more detail that I never heard before and trust me I've been listening to my old MP3 music for over a decade.

 

[Danfj40]

Hi Jerry,

Did we ever hear from LG on this? Please end the madness : )

Maybe you can get an answer at MWC? Thx!