HiFi Subjectivist ¦ Audio Forum ¦ NVA User Group

Okay, okay - any excuse to put a picture of Debbie Harry up.

Actually this is to do with smartphones, Android smartphones, from Huawei the renowned Chinese-government-run, international espionage and global electronics company.

I have been using one of their phones for a while - a model called the Honor 8 Pro. Not bad, big screen, quite fast processor, reasonable sound. The only major issue was that it was often dodgy on maintaining a good wifi connection, even when almost on top of the transmitter.

Of late the battery (non-replaceable) has started to fade. At first the thing would go 2 days, easy, on a single charge. Now it is empty in a couple of hours. Also it is as if there is an internal counter that at 2 years (almost to the day) starts shutting the phone down at random and requiring multiple re-boots to get it running again.

Thoroughly annoyed at this I have decided that it is time for a new smartphone - and it isn't going to be a Huawei this time.

Looking around, the current generation of smartphones have, in general, removed all headphone sockets and force you to either go Bluetooth (no way am I doing that) or a USB-C to 3.5mm jack adaptor. So the first requirement is a phone with headphone socket.

Then the obsessive audiophile wakes up and the Google search-term is: 'best sounding android phone'. Very quickly I came out on a model from LG, the V40 ThinQ. It has an ESS Sabre DAC on-board that has been tweaked and tuned by well-known Hifi company Meridian. Along with a hefty Quad-core processor this should make for some serious sounds.

So - one of those is on the way, stay tuned.

That's quite impressive. I've just switched from my venerable old LG to an Alcatel 3L, but I never use a phone for audio duties. I have a Huawei Mediapad T3 that I bought specifically for "serious" use, like controlling Volumio and setting up my Amazon devices. I'm very happy with it.

Very nice Fret. Why so few phones with headphone socket ?

My phones tend to get trashed fairly quickly. Dirty, physical work ends in tears.

Headphone sockets are probably cut out to reduce production cost. Or they just follow the Apple way...

I think one of the main reasons that the headphone socket is disappearing is that phones are getting thinner. And the sockets are too wide for current fashions.

Also Apple want to sell their horrible, overpriced Airbuds.

LG V40 Thinq is in.

Very chic.

Will report soon.

Very nice smartphone, the LG V40. The back is a sort of oily, translucent blue which looks so cool and the unit lies in your hand like a piece of futuristic sculpture. A quality item even before you turn it on.

I thought my Huawei / Honor phone was pretty good bu this LG really shows a higher level of performance. Faster, smoother, better display (OLED), better camera and MUCH improved wifi reception. The impression is of a solid, dependable and capable device. No unnecessary frills.

Soundwise I have had a preliminary listen on the headphone output with the Foobar App and the ESS Sabre DAC is putting out powerful and clear audio. Certainly good enough for on-the-move listening. The on-board speaker is pretty good too and the phone vibrates with the bass so on a resonant surface you get a sort of 'boombox' effect.

Geek heaven!