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Review and Measurements of LG G5 Hi-Fi Plus DAC/Amp

Jimster480

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Tech is crazy these days. The performance you can get for basically nothing what 20 years ago you could not of gotten for $1m
ts the same with computers.
$100 Ryzen chips blow away the best of what was available in 2009 and a $50 Athlon 200GE is worlds faster than anything around in 1999.
 

hrseldon

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Tech is crazy these days. The performance you can get for basically nothing what 20 years ago you could not of gotten for $1m

Actually , This was like £150 (about $220)(?) when was first introduced. It really didn't have a successful sales numbers so was abandoned by the manufacturer. These are whats left in the stores , probably most of the time even the seller doesn't know what it is . This is by no means a 10-20 usd product.

How would the more experience users price this ? How does is compare to for example AudioQuest - DragonFly Red or Black?
 
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Jimster480

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Actually , This was like 150-200 USD (?) when was first introduced. It really didn't have a successful sales numbers so was abandoned by the manufacturer. These are whats left in the stores , probably most of the time even the seller doesn't know what it is . This is by no means a 10-20 usd product.

How would the more experience users price this ? How does is compare to for example AudioQuest - DragonFly Red or Black?
Well Dragonfly products are utter garbage so.... This definitely does much better!
 

Sinquito

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Actually , This was like £150 (about $220)(?) when was first introduced. It really didn't have a successful sales numbers so was abandoned by the manufacturer. These are whats left in the stores , probably most of the time even the seller doesn't know what it is . This is by no means a 10-20 usd product...

Exactly, I think that this was at least 200 Euros at launch, the thing is that even though the LG G5 was a fine smartphone, even pioneered the second ultra wide angle camera before everybody else, the phone did not sell so well, and the LG Friends sold worst, specially the HiFi DAC as it was too niche and it was not sold or supported on the USA, so yeah this thing is being sold as a lost or they are just breaking even with the price.

I tried as a USB dac on my S8 and it sounds barely loud enough, and on spotify I cannot detect any difference with the exynos S8, actually the S8 was all around louder. So for portable use I don't think is very convenient, for PC is a different story. The volume is greater and many Laptops have lousy HP outputs. Yesterday I tried it on my S10 and it is the same story as the S8, the headphone jack is more convenient. The Fidelio X2 need 100% volume to sound decent, funny enough the HD600 sounds pretty much the same at 80-90% so I think that the voltage level change kicked in.

I think that the apple usb c dongle is a better option if your phone does not have a 3.5 mm jack.
 

FunkeXMix

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I went to the local HIFI store to compare my LG G5 (without the DAC module reviewed here) using FLC8d IEMs with Astel & Kern DAPs. Before I continue I must note that the LG music player app in LG G5 is tailored to the internal sound hardware, so you get a much better sound with it compared to 3rd party apps like Neutron, Tidal etc.
Comparing against A&Ks A&futura and activo ct10.
If I use the LG music player the LG G5 beats the A&Ks, but if I use 3rd party apps on the LG G5, A&Ks sounded better. Used Tidal app for testing music tracks on the A&Ks. LG G5 played flac files from SD card:

Test tracks, but used Tidal in the store:
My preferred sound signature: Neutral and U-shaped

LG G5 wins. I really did not expect this to happen at all. Goes to show how well tuned and tailored LG G5 and newer models are. I haven't tried newer models but I assume it's improving according to this review:
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...o-measurement-of-lg-g7-thinq-smartphone.4468/

This is not a review, I am just sharing the outcome of my experience.

End-game headphone tests?

While I was in the store I also compared my FLC8d IEM to Focal Elegia & Stellia. The closed headphones sounded pretty thin on the portables so I asked to try them on a more powerful amp/dac, enter the https://www.focal.com/en/headphones-0/headphones/headphones-electronics/amplifier-dac/arche. It is specially made for those two closed headphones. Set to high gain, and you set which headphones you are using on it. I was expecting amazing things for these extremely high prices.
Amazingly again, my current gear sounds better. The FLC8d sounds so much better that you can't even compare.

I have new found respect for high class IEMs after this, and my closed headphone end-game journey continues with finding a way to test ZMF Atticus, Ether C Flow and or OLLO S4R. I really hope they can beat my FLC8d IEMs. I need good closed headphones, they are more convenient for long listening sessions.
 
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dacDACdac

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Another proud LG AFD-1200 owner here. No idea why you had to test it in a DIY case. In my opinion, the original case is much more stylish, and without issues with the usb and headphones connectors. As for the dirver: were you using the original LG driver? Here's the link to LG official support page: https://www.lg.com/uk/support/support-product/lg-AFD-1200 (the image is wrong, shows something like a Bluetooth headset). I'm using it under Linux, so no driver is needed (by the way, is it possible for you to test this DAC under Linux?). But I don't remember any inconvenience with the driver when I have tried out the DAC on a Windows PC.
 
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dacDACdac

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If someone finds a standalone board of the G5 DAC, please post it here. I want to buy one and build my own case for it.
Why don't you just buy the DAC, and get the board out of it? Used ones should be really cheap. On the other hand, I don't understand why one would not like that slick black pebble with the B&O logo and wanted to build a DIY case for it.
 

dacDACdac

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Silou

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I guess this device is not that interesting anymore. The recently measured E1DA 9038S measures better and has a lot more power. :cool:
 

dacDACdac

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I guess this device is not that interesting anymore. The recently measured E1DA 9038S measures better and has a lot more power. :cool:
Depends on the use case. I use mine with an integrated amp, so power is not an issue. And I definitely do not want a device which I wouldn't be able to use without a balanced headphone cable.
 

rainbaby

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Just about anywhere. Keywords: "LG Hi-Fi Plus", "LG Hi-Fi Plus with B&O Play", "AFD-1200". Here's one on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DAER41K, but I bet you will find a used one cheaper elsewhere. Just dont buy it from this guy on eBay who wants $1000 for it: https://www.ebay.com/itm/LG-STAND-A...D-G5-32-BIT-DAC-AND-AMP-AFD-1200/362330673851. o_O And he's got 77 sold already. :D
Because in China, lots of bare boards are not (and will never be) packed with the original cases, they just come out of the factory. You can get one for less than $10 here. It has become a budget choose for many people.
 

duo8

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I got one in a 3D printed case. It really does run hot, I now have it stuck to a heatsink instead.
It's hard to beat for $13.

I also found a mod online that lets you use the bottom USB port as input, and another that disables power off on jack removal.
 

dacDACdac

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Jimster480

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I got one in a 3D printed case. It really does run hot, I now have it stuck to a heatsink instead.
It's hard to beat for $13.

I also found a mod online that lets you use the bottom USB port as input, and another that disables power off on jack removal.
Really? where do they sell this?
 

duo8

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I wonder why this thing runs so hot, it's actually hot to the touch on the metal EMI shield. Is it the HPA chip?
I also have a V30 and it doesn't run this hot.
 

duo8

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I found a complete teardown of the thing: https://blog.lvu.kr/lg-hifi-module-teardown/
Though the case is mostly plastic, there's a metal plate on one side of the case, could be for heatsinking, or shielding. It doesn't make direct contact with the shield on the PCB though.
Other than the two known chips, there's a TI ADC3001 (for the microphone) and a savitech SA9302 USB interface.
 
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