Best Tracfone to use as a DAP?

[Tks]

AHHH, bummer. I live in fear that one day an update balks uapp for me. Ridiculous

The app works fine but it dont think it will allow things like bit perfect playback. Im having trouble recalling if it will do bit perfect PCM 192 and lower. But I know for sure DSD will not play without resampling.

 

[Jimbob54]

The app works fine but it dont think it will allow things like bit perfect playback. Im having trouble recalling if it will do bit perfect PCM 192 and lower. But I know for sure DSD will not play without resampling.

Never gone near dsd but does seem to add a degree of complexity in selecting kit and configuring playback.

 

[Tks]

Never gone near dsd but does seem to add a degree of complexity in selecting kit and configuring playback.

And honestly don't. I just have some albums from prior, and it's not really a format I care about at all beyond archival reasons (I feel the same about Hi-Res), but I feel there's value in preservation of whatever was offered originally. In reality though it's not a problem at all, I just don't like seeing regressions in feature-sets, certainly not advertised ones.

 

[Jimbob54]

And honestly don't. I just have some albums from prior, and it's not really a format I care about at all beyond archival reasons (I feel the same about Hi-Res), but I feel there's value in preservation of whatever was offered originally. In reality though it's not a problem at all, I just don't like seeing regressions in feature-sets, certainly not advertised ones.

No, on formats decades old too.

 

[AudioStudies]

it's not really a format I care about at all beyond archival reasons (I feel the same about Hi-Res),

I agree.

 

[Tks]

Okay, so I just tested the bit-perfect playback and it works for everything aside from DSD.

 

[Jimbob54]

Okay, so I just tested the bit-perfect playback and it works for everything aside from DSD.

Phew- can it downsample DSD to PCM- or just refuse to handle? In settings for internal Hi-Res I guess select "when possible" for bit perfect?

 

[Tks]

Phew- can it downsample DSD to PCM- or just refuse to handle? In settings for internal Hi-Res I guess select "when possible" for bit perfect?

So while testing what you asked for (which was no problem, the conversion is great (goes to 352.8kHz which is great to see it's trying to output the best it can, instead of doing something like 48, or 88,2kHz).

Okay, so now we have something interesting... For some reason, the error message about LG phones on Android 10 not working in terms of outputting DSD over DoP is gone. What's more, it's actually piping out to my DAC. What the heck is going on lol...

Works for both DSD64 and DSD256 (RME doesn't support 512 I think, nor do I have any 512 albums).

Also this isn't mis-reporting, the RME is actually playing back and reporting both DSD64 and DSD256 properly.

Now I don't get what the heck is going on anymore..

https://imgur.com/a/UJ1Lrju

 

[Jimbob54]

So while testing what you asked for (which was no problem, the conversion is great (goes to 352.8kHz which is great to see it's trying to output the best it can, instead of doing something like 48, or 88,2kHz).

Okay, so now we have something interesting... For some reason, the error message about LG phones on Android 10 not working in terms of outputting DSD over DoP is gone. What's more, it's actually piping out to my DAC. What the heck is going on lol...

Works for both DSD64 and DSD256 (RME doesn't support 512 I think, nor do I have any 512 albums).

Also this isn't mis-reporting, the RME is actually playing back and reporting both DSD64 and DSD256 properly.

Now I don't get what the heck is going on anymore..

https://imgur.com/a/UJ1Lrju

In fairness, uapp updates very frequently, sometimes several times a week. I suspect if they know about an issue, they will resolve ASAP if in their gift. So, in short, uapp on LG on android 10 is playing anything you throw at it on external dac (or within reason), what about dsd natively on LG quad dac internally?

Edit, you tried dsd native internally. Ignore

 

[AudioStudies]

I was tempted by the LGs, but bought a Samsung S10 Plus. It was their flagship phone in 2019. It has Android 9, and was highly reviewed for audio quality in the article I posted. I fully admit that the audio quality in the LGs is likely better, at least on paper, but I fell for some of the non-audio characteristics that I like. I was able to choose blue as the color, and this phone has a gorgeous, high-quality screen, and I found a great price. Best Buy prices too high, so I ordered from Ebay and it should arrive soon. I talked to the Tracfone people and ordered a BYOP SIM card, and they told me to call them after it arrives for further instructions. Have never been much of a phone person, but perhaps having a real nice one like this will get me motivated to learn more about them. I heard Google Play is going away, and YouTube Music will now be the thing. But the phone has microSd slot, so I can play music from my microSD cards. Interesting that the 2020 Samsung flagship models do not have headphone jacks.

 

[Jimbob54]

I was tempted by the LGs, but bought a Samsung S10 Plus. It was their flagship phone in 2019. It has Android 9, and was highly reviewed for audio quality in the article I posted. I fully admit that the audio quality in the LGs is likely better, at least on paper, but I fell for some of the non-audio characteristics that I like. I was able to choose blue as the color, and this phone has a gorgeous, high-quality screen, and I found a great price. Best Buy prices too high, so I ordered from Ebay and it should arrive soon. I talked to the Tracfone people and ordered a BYOP SIM card, and they told me to call them after it arrives for further instructions. Have never been much of a phone person, but perhaps having a real nice one like this will get me motivated to learn more about them. I heard Google Play is going away, and YouTube Music will now be the thing. But the phone has microSd slot, so I can play music from my microSD cards. Interesting that the 2020 Samsung flagship models do not have headphone jacks.

If you haven't already, try a streaming service (most have a month or so free trial). Might be a revelation to you

 

[charleski]

So while testing what you asked for (which was no problem, the conversion is great (goes to 352.8kHz which is great to see it's trying to output the best it can, instead of doing something like 48, or 88,2kHz).

Okay, so now we have something interesting... For some reason, the error message about LG phones on Android 10 not working in terms of outputting DSD over DoP is gone. What's more, it's actually piping out to my DAC. What the heck is going on lol...

Works for both DSD64 and DSD256 (RME doesn't support 512 I think, nor do I have any 512 albums).

Also this isn't mis-reporting, the RME is actually playing back and reporting both DSD64 and DSD256 properly.

Now I don't get what the heck is going on anymore..

https://imgur.com/a/UJ1Lrju

I just checked again and it’s the same here. USBAPP no longer gives an error message with .dsf files. It now plays the files saying
Direct: 352.8kHz DSF: DSD 2.1MHz 1bit
In UAPP.txt I see
Device rate becomes 352800
which seems to confirm its doing that rate now. I’m pretty sure it said 88.2kHz when I tried the same file earlier.
I have bitperfect set to ON, which was the default.

 

[Tks]

In fairness, uapp updates very frequently, sometimes several times a week. I suspect if they know about an issue, they will resolve ASAP if in their gift. So, in short, uapp on LG on android 10 is playing anything you throw at it on external dac (or within reason), what about dsd natively on LG quad dac internally?

That I'm not sure really, before (as in the pictures I provided)

"USB DAC: DSD 11.2mHz DFS: DSD 11.2mHz 1 bit"

instead it now shows:

"Direct: 352.8kHz DFS: DSD 11.2mHz 1 bit"

So I'm not really sure to be perfectly honest. I tried it without bit-perfect and without, and both function and don't cause issues with playback. So I have no idea really. I'm inclined seeing as how USB out worked (which seemed most problematic) that it is playing back DSD in at least DoP form (since I can still control volume and run DSP if I don't have it in bit-perfect mode).

 

[Jimbob54]

That I'm not sure really, before (as in the pictures I provided) instead it now shows:

So I'm not really sure to be perfectly honest. I tried it without bit-perfect and without, and both function and don't cause issues with playback. So I have no idea really. I'm inclined seeing as how USB out worked (which seemed most problematic) that it is playing back DSD in at least DoP form (since I can still control volume and run DSP if I don't have it in bit-perfect mode).

Yeah, sorry read you tested bit perfect already.

Most importantly, it plays it internally and externally!

 

[Tks]

I was tempted by the LGs, but bought a Samsung S10 Plus. It was their flagship phone in 2019. It has Android 9, and was highly reviewed for audio quality in the article I posted. I fully admit that the audio quality in the LGs is likely better, at least on paper, but I fell for some of the non-audio characteristics that I like. I was able to choose blue as the color, and this phone has a gorgeous, high-quality screen, and I found a great price. Best Buy prices too high, so I ordered from Ebay and it should arrive soon. I talked to the Tracfone people and ordered a BYOP SIM card, and they told me to call them after it arrives for further instructions. Have never been much of a phone person, but perhaps having a real nice one like this will get me motivated to learn more about them. I heard Google Play is going away, and YouTube Music will now be the thing. But the phone has microSd slot, so I can play music from my microSD cards. Interesting that the 2020 Samsung flagship models do not have headphone jacks.

One thing I love about phones is how all-in-one the solution is, and audio quality is great these days. One great use case is for summer use, when headphones get irritating to wear, and speakers annoy others. You just plop on IEMs or better yet, wireless buds, and just free yourself from most burden.

I'm looking to get those oddly bean-shaped Galaxy Buds Live. They're not deep insertion (so your ears can breath) and seem good enough.

I just checked again and it’s the same here. USBAPP no longer gives an error message with .dsf files. It now plays the files saying
Direct: 352.8kHz DSF: DSD 2.1MHz 1bit
In UAPP.txt I see
Device rate becomes 352800
which seems to confirm its doing that rate now. I’m pretty sure it said 88.2kHz when I tried the same file earlier.
I have bitperfect set to ON, which was the default.

That 88.2 rate is I think what their native music player still defaults to when presented with DSD files.