Yeah, but that really only “benefits” streaming people. As local music users are all likely using one of the 3 apps I mentioned.
And the Pixel phones dont have a 3.5mm as well…
3.5mm isn’t needed if you’ve got a DAC / Amp plugged into the USB-C port. also, but for rare circumstances where someone may load their phone with music files, you stream music on a phone.
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This has my attention. My trusty LG V40 is has excellent audio output and makes a really good streaming device (I don’t use it for local playback, so that is not an issue for me) but it is starting to show its age a little bit and I might be in the market for a new phone in a year or less. I won’t buy an Apple product and none of the new Androids excite me either. But THIS… this has potential! Thanks for sharing.
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A huge shame that they dropped out of the mobile world. 
Some people still buy used units of the LG V60.
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One device that might be of interest depending on your use. Is the Hisense Touch. It is a essentially a DAP + E-reader in one. Has an eink screen and a ES9038 Dac with ES9603 amp. It does not have a sim card slot though, so cant use it outside but at home you can stream with Wifi.
Costs 180 usd ish. I bought one and might arrive this week (or the next).
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I agree. I thought LG had the best device on the Android market. I had a V10 for years before I had to replace it with the V40. And the V40 has been brilliant. As mentioned, I am not sure which way I will go when it’s time to replace the V40.
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There is the V60 as I mentioned which is from 2020. But there is a newer phone from 2021 with LG-tier dac being the Asus ROG 5 which has a ESS Sabre ES9280AC Pro Quad DAC.
Battery life is damn good as well and packs a powerful CPU so should be a good long term usage phone in terms of performance.
It is one of those “gaming” phones though, so does look a bit nerdy…
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Looks pretty good. I can do nerdy if need be! 
But I have the G.I. Joe Kung Fu grip on my V40 for now.
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Man, does this bring me back to 2015 so hard. I had an LG V20 and I purposely got it for the Quad DACs to run my shitting VSonic VSD3s and GR07 
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Guess I can repost this (I am not the source, came from someone on HF):
Here are the list of Chinese Phones with good Hi-fi DACs like AKM, Cirrus Logic and ESS:
Lenovo:
Vibe X3 - ESS es9018k2m, Cirrus Logic wm8281 with Texas instrument amp.
K4 Note - Cirrus Logic wm8281
Meizu:
MX4pro - ESS es9018k2m *
Pro 5 - ESS es9018k2m
Pro 6 - Cirrus Logic cs43L36
Pro 7 - Cirrus Logic cs43130, NXP smart amp
Gionee:
S8 - AKM ak4961
ZTE:
Axon 7 - AKM Dual DAC (AK4990, AK4961)
Axon Mini- AKM AK4962
Vivo:
V3 - AKM ak4375
V3 Max - AKM ak4375
V5 - AKM ak4375
V5+ - AKM ak4376
V5s - AKM ak4376
V7+ - AKM ak4376
X5 Max - ESS es9028, ES9603 amp/Texas Instrument opamp with Yamaha audio chip.
X5 Pro- Cirrus Logic cs4398 with Maxim Integrated headphone amp.
X6 - AKM ak4375
X6+ - ESS es9028, ES9603 amp with Yamaha audio chip
X7 - AKM ak4376
X7+ - AKM ak4376
XPlay 5 - Cirrus Logic CS4398 with Analog Device amp.
XPlay 5 Ultimate - ESS es9208 with Texas Instrument amp.
XPlay 6 - ESS es9038q2m
Xiaomi:
Mi Note - ESS es9018k2m
Mi Lite A2- WCD DAC, Maxim Integrated Max98927 amp
LeTV/ LeECo:
LeEco Pro X800 - ESS Custom DAC (possible an es9018 variant)
LeEco Max pro X910 - ESS Custom DAC (possible an es9018 variant)
LeEco Max X900 - ESS Custom DAC (possible an es9018 variant)
Smartisan:
Smartisan M1l - Cirrus Logic CS4398 + Texas Instrument OPA16xx amp *
Smartisan T1 - Custom Texas Instrument OPA2604 opamp system.*
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it’s too bad most of these aren’t available in Canada or if you manage to source an ‘international’ model the bands supported are lacking and you have terrible cellular performance. 
This looks sick, but I don’t know how I feel about paying $1,300 for a Topping DAC/Amp combo?!
yeah…how much of the Asian audio gear is just cloning what others did the R&D to develop and release?
It is more that they are known for sub $1,000 gear, and once you cross the $1,000 threshold I would normally expect more from the product. The question is whether or not they hit that mark. I was willing to drop over a grand on a Burson amp, and I would do the same for Schiit Audio, and Woo Audio, but they have a better track record. We shall see what comes of the DX9 once reviews start circulating.
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I use UAPP with my Pixel 7 Pro and it supports Tidal and Qobuz. The app has integrated players for both streaming services. The UAPP Tidal UI is kinda crappy, but it works.
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Yeah UAPP works with those 2 (afaik, dont use them myself) but no Spotify for example which afaik is the biggest streaming app out there.
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My guess is that UAPP doesn’t work with Spotify because it doesn’t have lossless yet. Maybe when they support lossless then UAPP may add it.
Edit: Nevermind. An admin in the UAPP forum said that Spotify won’t give them a license.
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This would be my concern. I have owned/still own a number of Topping and SMSL products (mostly SMSL), all of which have performed very well given their 300 to 700-dollar price points. However, when you start talking about the next level, these companies are not the ones I look at when making purchasing decisions of that magnitude. Not saying that this unit (or these companies) can’t deliver next level performance, I’m just at a point in the journey where I want to try something different.
Like you, I want to see/read some reviews before I come to any conclusions. I will say the form factor is growing on me. Also, I like separate components, so something like this would always be a hard sell for me regardless of who makes it.
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Canadian Company you need to pay attention to Plunge Audio , radical stuff amazing sound , design and tech.
Simon Finch Musician/ Audiologist making Custom IEM up until now since 2008 10,000 pairs out there in musicians ears now has turned his attention to making Universal IEM done properly.
Stay tuned for more info from Canucks Audioholics Review Group including a interview with Simon and talk more about what makes his stuff so unique.
So excited to share , we haven’t been this excited about a IEM in a while because there wasn’t too much being done differently out there until now!
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Regarding UAPP, does anybody have an apk for it by any chance?
I have a Huawei phone and cannot download from playstore.
I found an apk (apkdone.com) and installed it but the app will not open 