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O LG G5 was launched in early 2016 and its biggest advertisement is its modular design. It was the first smartphone to allow you to attach accessories that enhance the device's experience, such as a camera grip or a high-definition audio player.
In Spain, the model sold was named LG G5 SE, and inside it is different from the version seen outside, starting with the Snapdragon 820 processor that was replaced by the Snapdragon 652 and the RAM memory went from 4GB to 3GB.
Despite the changes, the LG G5 SE It is a good smartphone, as you can see in our review of the device. To get to know and test the “friends” of LG G5, we received a LG HiFi Plus and a headset H3both of B&O Play.
The duo promises a high definition audio experience with 32-bit sound, twice the quality of CD, for example, and does it live up to that promise? Is this LG Hi-Fi sound kit worth it? That's what I'll answer in this review.
LG Hi-Fi More
O LG HiFi Plus is the "friend" of LG G5 (SE) for lovers of good music. Anyone who thinks the accessory is a mere sound box is wrong, in fact, it goes far from it.
The module is actually a 32-bit DAC e amplifier, that works coupled to the smartphone Greetings, or any other device Android, iOS, Mac e Windows. It is capable of playing Hi-Fi audio, that is, high definition.
For those who still don't understand anything about what this module does, I'll explain. a DAC (digital to analog converter) is a digital to analog converter.
Every Blu-Ray, DVD and CD Player, Receiver and derivatives has an internal DAC that converts the digital signal recorded on physical media (CD, DVD and Blu-Ray) to analog sound, which is what we hear.
The difference between these devices and the LG HiFi Plus is the audio compression ratio used. The “CD sound” is recorded at 44.100 Hz in 16 bits and the LG module is capable of playing audios in 32 bitsthe double the quality of CD sound.
Although the 32-bit sound is something beyond what is necessary for our ears, when listening to any song with and without the Hi-Fi module, the difference is noticeable. The sound improves a lot! Even people without the slightest technological knowledge can differentiate the quality of the music played with the module.
H3 B&O Play headphones
To accompany the Hi-Fi sound, the LG also sent us an in-ear headphone H3 by B&O Play. It has a great finish, and construction, appears to be very sturdy and looks great.
To protect the headset, there is a carrying bag, and 4 pairs of rubbers in size XP, P, M and G were also provided. As I have already mentioned, the headset is very elegant. It was designed by designer Jakob Wagner and is constructed of stainless steel, rubber and polymer.
The phone is very light, weighing only 16 grams, has a 1,2 meter cable and a frequency range of 20-16.000 Hz. In its cable are the remote controls with microphone, to answer calls and change the music.
Even though I liked the quality of the phone, I think it could have come with a gold plated plug. It may seem like it's just a matter of status, but it's not.
Gold is one of the best conductive metals out there and having a gold-plated plug would fit perfectly into the Hi-Fi audio proposition. For a phone that costs R$ 1.399,00 it would not be difficult to put this material, as there are headphones that cost 1/4 of that amount and have such plugs.
what i liked
One of the best things you can do with the LG HiFi Plus is to connect it to other devices and computers. As I said, it is compatible with Android,iOS, Windows e Mac, being recognized automatically by smartphones, and on computers with the installation of a driver.
Inside the module box you will find a leather case for protection and transport, and a cable USB Type-C to Micro USB that serves to connect it to any smartphone. In my tests I connected it to a Moto G 3rd Generation and the intermediate device Motorola turned into an excellent audio player in seconds.
This is actually the best way to use the LG HiFi PlusAnd fone H3. Plugged into my computer, it brought absurd audio quality, it was a pain to have to return it, the experience is really fantastic. And the advantage of this is that you don't have to buy one. LG G5 SE to use it.
What I didn't like
To be quite honest, the idea of having a LG G5 SE to use the module did not encourage me much, buying a device that costs on average R$ 2.250,00 and has 32 GB Internal Storage to put music in high definition is not a good deal. After all, an album of songs in FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec), high definition, lossless audio format with compression can occupy 1,5 GB of that space.
The module and the phone cost R $ 1.399,00 each, on the LG website. Doing the math, spend approx. R$ 5.000,00 to have an enhanced sound experience is not for everyone. But as I said, only the module is enough.
Another negative point is the module's speaker, which it's not stereo, nor louder than the sound of the device. It even has less volume, despite having a little more definition. In other words, it was not meant to be used that way. Your beach is quality sound with headphones. I did a test in the two situations where you can prove that the sound of the speakers is not impressive:
Another thing that bothers is the way to use the modules. At the LG G5 e G5 you need to turn off your device, remove the battery, fit it in the module, put it in the device, turn it on, and only after this long process, use your “friend”.
The solution that Motorola / Lenovo gave the Moto Z it's something simpler and more practical, an instant connection. Although this point is negative, we must take into account the courage of LG to have been the pioneer in this market. It just took a little more creativity to solve this problem.
And finally, the smartphone gets too big with the module attached, but this is unavoidable and therefore forgivable.
Conclusion
The Audio Kit gives for the LG G5 It is very good, excellent in fact, and delivers what it promises. The module is interesting and delivers an absurd sound quality, in addition to being independent from the smartphone, which is good.
The headset is well-built, elegant, and also follows the standard of high-definition sound. Rumors indicate that this will be the phone that will come in the newest release of Greetings, o LG V20, the first smartphone launched with Android 7.0 Nougat. Let's pray.
The set is very good and does what it promises with excellence, so if you have R$ 5.000,00 to spend on a smartphone to listen to high quality music, go ahead, this set is for you. For a regular user, it might not be a good idea to invest so high in a device of this size.
