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Smartphone audio sadness

So, my beloved iPhone 4s, which I bought back in August of 2012, has finally started to show its age, like Maggie Mae. Increasingly, apps are no longer compatible with the IOS; it won't do voice-to-text anymore; sometimes it won't read the audio signal from the 30-pin connector to USB - you know, that kind of serious first-world problems.
As I shop for a new phone, I find my #1 concern is audio quality, so I've narrowed it down to the Galaxy S9+, the LG V30, and the Nokia 7.1
But here's the interesting thing insofar as why more people aren't audiophiles. As I shop and research and compare, I find that SO much copy on reviews is given to camera and video, and for audio quality I have to run specific searches on "Best Phones for Audio" and similar wording.

Anyway - no need for recommendations, but it was illuminating. Like, I can really give a shitake mushroom about camera quality or any other visual crap. But give me a nice DAC in the phone and I'm happy.
128x128simao
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Funny, I've always thought of Apple as the quality audio leader. Although eliminating the phone jack has ticked me off. Last thing I need, another connector adaptor.

Got me curious though. You actually listening to these things just like you would any other high end audio purchase? Or going by specs, like any non-audiophile would do?
thecarpathian's avatar
thecarpathian
4,865 posts
 
More people aren't audiophiles because there isn't a lot written about phone audio specs??! That makes no sense at all. None. And to consider a nice quality camera to capture a picture of something interesting and/or beautiful 'visual crap', well, that's a whole other problem, Isn't it.....
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,942 posts
 
This might be of help to you: https://darko.audio/2019/04/5-reasons-why-the-iphone-is-a-poor-choice-for-portable-audio/

Aside from his non-reco for the iPhone, he does cover some of the bases on the competition.

All the best,
Nonoise
simao's avatar
simao OP
1,838 posts
 
@thecarpathian -- I'm sorry you feel that way. You also missed my point - or perhaps I didn't make it clear enough: many threads on this forum question why there aren't more audiophiles, or why the demographic for this hobby is aging. And what i was saying was that the vast amount of space dedicated to the phone's visual capabilities reflects the visual bias society has over audio quality.

And - I've been happy with my 4s camera for seven years. You really think I care about camera quality or massive effects everywhere?

@nonoise Yes, I read that in my research. Funny thing is, had Stereophile not had that cover article on the LG V30, I doubt I would have really considered audio in a phone, preferring instead to go for a music player for the car. But that article made that criterium the defining one.

@millercarbon - I guess I'm a non-audiophile :)
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