Equipped For On-The-Go Listening

FOR Great sound; premium design; skinny screen bezels

AGAINST HDR video quality not up to the standard of rivals

It’s rare that a phone feels purpose-built for high-quality audio – and even rarer that it looks gorgeous at the same time. But LG seems to have delivered both with the V30 smartphone. It’s a top-spec phone with an uprated DAC that can play hi-res music tracks, wrapped up in a classy metal and glass chassis. It even has a headphone jack, so there’s no need for messy dongles.

A screen with skinny bezels and an OLED panel should be the icing on the cake, but while the V30 has some of the best audio you’ll find in a phone, a few minor issues prevent it from being a complete success.

The V30 features a 32-bit ESS Sabre ES9218P DAC, making it one of the best-equipped phones for on-the-go listening. With support for 24-bit hi-res files and – a first for a phone – MQA, this is a huge step up from the integrated DAC used by most of its Snapdragon-powered rivals.

LG used a similar set-up in last year’s V20, and the Korean version of the G6, but with neither receiving a UK release, this the first time we’ve been able to give it a listen.

Delightful ambience

The detail on display from an MQA version of Coldplay’s Adventure Of A Lifetime is outstanding, with superb separation of instruments and a delightful ambience you wouldn’t expect from a smartphone.

The LG’s presentation has a level of clarity, transparency and dynamic expression that leaves rivals from Samsung and HTC in the shade. It’s easily the best sounding Android phone this year, even if it doesn’t quite match the rhythmic cohesion of Apple’s iPhone X.