What portable headphone DAC/AMP to replace LG V20 (ES9218p)

[SRKRAM]

Hi all, my first post here. I'm finally looking to move on from my V20 that I have been using with a KZ ZS3. My new phone will be the Samsung S10+, and sadly the sound quality of this phone cannot hold a candle against my ageing V20.

What would be a suitable portable (either dongle or non dongle wired, or even wireless BT) DAC/AMP combo that will be an upgrade SQ-wise to the LG V-series Quad DAC?

I've been looking around and some of the DAC I've come across that are within my consideration are:

Wired Dongle
- Meizu HiFi Pro (CS43131)
- iBasso DC02 - MYR 185 (AK4490EQ)
- E1DA 9038D (ES8038q2m)

Wired Non Dongle
- Qudelix 5K (ES9218p dual) in wired mode 24bit/96khz

Bluetooth
- Qudelix 5K (ES9218p dual)

I'd love more options. My first and foremost priority is sound quality, followed by portability (size wise I am willing to consider up to credit card sized DACs).
Preferably it should be a noticeable improvement from the V20's ES9218p.

Thanks in advance

Do you have your S10+ yet, and would it be the SD or Exynos version? You mentioned that your new phone will be the S10+, and that it can't hold a candle to the V20, but I wondered if you have actually listened to it yet and compared it to the V20? The subjective sound quality of the Exynos S10+ headphone output really surprised me, and with low impedance dynamic headphones I can't hear any difference compared to the LG V50. With the headphones you mentioned I wondered if you would notice any difference against the V20.

 

[daijoubu]

Do you have your S10+ yet, and would it be the SD or Exynos version? You mentioned that your new phone will be the S10+, and that it can't hold a candle to the V20, but I wondered if you have actually listened to it yet and compared it to the V20? The subjective sound quality of the Exynos S10+ headphone output really surprised me, and with low impedance dynamic headphones I can't hear any difference compared to the LG V50. With the headphones you mentioned I wondered if you would notice any difference against the V20.

Yes I already have the S10+ Exynos version, and I do find the V20 slightly better sounding to me. It sounds more "filled"? I'm using the TRN V90 with both phones.

Right now I've resorted to using Qudelix 5K BT DAC together with the Samsung S10+, with LDAC codec. When I need absolute best quality then I'll connect via USB to the phone.

 

[Warbles]

Hello...would it be tripling the wonderfulness of ES9218P DAC in my LG V30 if i was to use it with a Shanling UP4 which apparently packs TWO of those? Or would that result in another outcome altogether? At present I'm paired with Topping NX3S, but am frankly 'greedy for more'...

 

[Warbles]

Hello...would it be tripling the wonderfulness of ES9218P DAC in my LG V30 if i was to use it with a Shanling UP4 which apparently packs TWO of those? Or would that result in another outcome altogether? At present I'm paired with Topping NX3S, but am frankly 'greedy for more'...

Dang! Can nobody here provide ANY sort of response to this query?

 

[Cahudson42]

Dang! Can nobody here provide ANY sort of response to this query?

The LG V30 has 4 ES9218P. The 'Quad DAC'...I know absolutely nothing about the Shanling, but am inclined to think it a complete waste of money, giving no improvement whatsoever over your V30/NX3s combo.

(I use an NX3s myself on occasion with my LG V20 Quad DAC.)

 

[Warbles]

The LG V30 has 4 ES9218P. The 'Quad DAC'...I know absolutely nothing about the Shanling, but am inclined to think it a complete waste of money, giving no improvement whatsoever over your V30/NX3s combo.

(I use an NX3s myself on occasion with my LG V20 Quad DAC.)

Omg! So that is what "Quasmd

The LG V30 has 4 ES9218P. The 'Quad DAC'...I know absolutely nothing about the Shanling, but am inclined to think it a complete waste of money, giving no improvement whatsoever over your V30/NX3s combo.

(I use an NX3s myself on occasion with my LG V20 Quad DAC.)

OMG! So that is what "Quad DAC" means? FOUR of those chips? Here was me thinking all along that 'Quad DAC' was just some sort of marketing riff!

 

[charleski]

Omg! So that is what "Quasmd

OMG! So that is what "Quad DAC" means? FOUR of those chips? Here was me thinking all along that 'Quad DAC' was just some sort of marketing riff!

No, it just has one chip. The ‘Quad DAC’ fluff refers to the fact that the chip contains two DAC modules, one for each channel, and each of these modules produces two outputs in opposite polarity to drive the headphone amp in differential mode. See the block diagram in the tech note provided by ESS.

Don’t get too bothered about the number of chips. ‘More’ is not necessarily ‘better’, though there’s certainly a benefit to be gained by using a differential drive.

 

[Warbles]

No, it just has one chip. The ‘Quad DAC’ fluff refers to the fact that the chip contains two DAC modules, one for each channel, and each of these modules produces two outputs in opposite polarity to drive the headphone amp in differential mode. See the block diagram in the tech note provided by ESS.

Don’t get too bothered about the number of chips. ‘More’ is not necessarily ‘better’, though there’s certainly a benefit to be gained by using a differential drive.

Whoa! Thankyou for that fine clarification! All that i can do now is ask what is meant by a differential drive?

 

[charleski]

Whoa! Thankyou for that fine clarification! All that i can do now is ask what is meant by a differential drive?

If you look at the block diagram at the bottom, each DAC module has two outputs, one goes to the '+' input of the headphone amp and the other goes to the '-' input. This is a differential drive, the same as using a balanced connection between DAC and amp, and any noise or distortion that's the same on both outputs will end up being cancelled out.

DACs that are 'single-ended' only produce one output per channel, both referenced to a common ground. This is cheaper (as you only need to provide half the outputs), but doesn't allow the same sort of common-mode noise rejection.

 

[hayamz]

I have the Sonata HD Pro (CS43131) and Fiio BTR5 (ES9128P, when using as usb dac), i think the sound separation & detail are better on the Sonata HD Pro.
- I wonder how the DAC's perfomance on AK4493 (Ibasso DC1) or AK4490 (Ibasso DC2) compare to the CS43131.
- Also how's the DAC's performance on ESS ES9038Q2M (Shanling UA2).
- And is it a huge step if i consider to get the Burr Brown's Dac on Ifi Zen DAC.

Anyone have any experience on this? Thanks

Ps : My Headphone is AKG K371, 32 ohms. Source, Apple Music High-Resolution Lossless (ALAC up to 24-bit/192kHz)

 

[charleski]

I have the Sonata HD Pro (CS43131) and Fiio BTR5 (ES9128P, when using as usb dac), i think the sound separation & detail are better on the Sonata HD Pro.
- I wonder how the DAC's perfomance on AK4493 (Ibasso DC1) or AK4490 (Ibasso DC2) compare to the CS43131.
- Also how's the DAC's performance on ESS ES9038Q2M (Shanling UA2).
- And is it a huge step if i consider to get the Burr Brown's Dac on Ifi Zen DAC.

Anyone have any experience on this? Thanks

Ps : My Headphone is AKG K371, 32 ohms. Source, Apple Music High-Resolution Lossless (ALAC up to 24-bit/192kHz)

If you want comparisons that are full of flowery language about body, heft, bass and treble colour and the texture of the midrange, then you'll have more luck on sites like headfi.

Here people are a lot less poetic and tend to stick to the boring facts, which are that it's unlikely you'd hear any difference under controlled conditions. I would tend to avoid all these though as they measure significantly worse than the Sonata.

 

[hayamz]

If you want comparisons that are full of flowery language about body, heft, bass and treble colour and the texture of the midrange, then you'll have more luck on sites like headfi.

Here people are a lot less poetic and tend to stick to the boring facts, which are that it's unlikely you'd hear any difference under controlled conditions. I would tend to avoid all these though as they measure significantly worse than the Sonata.

LOL, thanks for your reply.