Saturday: LG V30 (US998) for $200

For DAP fans (phones as DAPs), good until Saturday 1/30/21 at 11:59pm central time [or earlier if sold out] you can get the new condition unlocked LG V30 US998 smartphone for $200 with a 1-year LG warranty. Up to three per customer at the sale price.

This is the silver color scheme with 4GB RAM, 64GB on-board storage (and microSD slot), 3.5mm headphone jack of course, Snapdragon 835, USB-C, etc, etc, etc…

Tuesday (refurb PADs): LG G7 $130, LG V40 $160

We are big fans of the “phones as DAPs” thing, not to mention you can use them at home for general use (smart home controls, kitchen and tea timer, smartTV remote, etc ~ without having to unlock the phone all the time), etc.

Good until 11/24/20 at 11:59pm central time, Woot is having an older Android phones sale which includes a couple of refurbished audio-friendly LG phones at good prices:

+ LG V40 ThinQ V405 (Unlocked) for $160
+ LG G7 ThinQ unlocked for $130
+ and if you are fond of the stylus equalizing way of things, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 goes for $230 and Note 9 for $340
+ they have a 90-day Woot warranty
+ all these are refurbished and “scratch and dent” ~ which is their polite way of scaring away perfectionists and nitpickers and complainers 😉

Thursday: Sony WH-1000XM3 with Xperia 1 for $550

The Thursday 11/19/20 deals at Woot have a couple of Android smartphone offers of headphone interest:

+ Sony WH-1000XM3 ANC/BT over-ears bundled with the new condition Sony Xperia 1 [SD 855] unlocked former-flagship smartphone for $550; with Sony warranty
+ the Xperia 1 supports LDAC, AAC, and apt-X HD per the PDF file specs linked-to from Woot

+ LG G8 ThinQ with Alexa for $350
+ the PDF file linked-to from Woot that has the specs says this has a 32-bit Quad DAC, and MQA decoder
+ I’ve lost track which LG phones have quad DACs, so be sure to research it to your satisfaction if you are not sure

Wedn: Beyerdynamic Amiron Home for $374 after coupon

Beyer is Dynamic at the Newegg daily deals for Wednesday 5/20/20, and for this day, thanks to promo code 93XPJ95 you can get the new condition open-back over-ears Beyerdynamic AMIRON Home “Tesla” headphone for $374 with free US shipping. This is sold and shipped by NewEGG itself, not marketplace sellers. Up to three pairs per customer during the promotion…

But that’s not all, other sellers have related offers as well in their deals du jour:

+ at Best Buy you can get their Insignia bluetooth necklace-style earphones for $20, and the unlocked LG V40 ThinQ for $300 with activation or without activation. Keep in mind the latest model is the V60 with the quasi-dual screens…

+ if you prefer even older LG V-series as PADs (phones as DAPs) Woot has a refurbished Scratch and Dent smartphone sale that includes the LG V10 and V20 from $40 to $120

+ at the Amazon Germany Gold Box you can get the Anker Soundcore Spirit X exercise bluetooth earphones for 26 euro…

Friday: unlocked LG V40 for $250 to $300

On the PAD side of things, for Saturday 4/24/20, one of the Best Buy deals du jour is on the new condition unlocked LG V40 smartphone. You pay $250 IF you activate it (with a carrier) when you place the order, or $300 if you do not activate it when you buy it.

Either way, it is unlocked, it’s just that Best Buy is giving you a $50 discount if you activate it with a carrier because they are probably getting a cut from the carrier and they are sharing it with you [or something like that].

The nice thing about the LG V-series phones is that their model number rhymes with the Snapdragon model-name second-digit, so the V40 uses the 845, the V50 the 855, the V60 the 866, and so forth. The exception being the V35 which uses the 845, and you have to do some rounding for the V10 (SD 808) 🙂

Friday: Sennheiser Momentum Truly Wireless for $180, Samsung Galaxy S10e PAD, Etc

Lots of audio options are available in the April 17 in 2020 deals of the day at the Best Buy website. They are:

+ Sennheiser Momentum truly wireless for $180

+ Anker Soundcore Liberty 2 PRO truly wireless for $130

+ MEE Audio BTR bluetooth audio receiver for $25

+ on the smartphones with a headphone jack front, there are various offers on the new condition Samsung Galaxy S10e, with the lower prices on the carrier-versions. Some of them also get a $50 Best Buy e-gift-card. Per the listing this includes in the phone’s box “AKG tuned” earphones.

+ the $60 ION bluetooth speaker type thing is sold out

LG V40 ThinQ PAD for $330 [ends Sat PM]

It’s PAD time! Good until Saturday 4/4/20 at 11:59pm eastern, B&H Photo is offering the new condition unlocked LG V40 ThinQ smartphone for $330 with free US shipping…

This is now two flagships behind (the latest flagship is the V60 which is about to roll out), so it has the Snapdragon 845 processor, with 6GB of RAM, 64GB of on-board storage and a microSD slot (up to a theoretical 2TB, to fill up with music). It also has the newer Bluetooth 5.0, IP68, Quick Charge 3.0, USB Type C, etc.

And of course on main audio interest is the 32-bit Quad DAC…

Now shipping: Pixel 3a Smartphone with 3.5mm headphone jack ($299 to $379)

The time has come 3.5mm headphone jack fans! It’s a brand new Google Pixel smartphone with a 3.5mm headphone jack. But it’s not the flagship. It’s the “a” model, the affordable model, with the Pixel 3a going for $299 right now with free US shipping at B&H Photo, while the larger Pixel 3a XL goes for $379. There are no other storage options. Only the color scheme of the phone.

They have 4GB of RAM, the modern 18.5 : 9 aspect ratio, the SnapDragon 670 processor, 64GB of on-board storage but sadly no memory card slot, Bluetooth 5.0 for those who have newer bluetooth headphones, Wifi Direct (not to be confused with the totally different protocol “Wifey Direct”), NFC [when there are connection dogfights in the air between multiple devices in your household/office], Android 9, 3-years of updates, unlimited Google Photos storage, factory unlocked with USA warranty and so forth…

Mayhaps this is the closest Google has come to making a Nexus phone in the Pixel era. If I was buying a phone right now I would consider it in this price range ~ assuming you can live with just 64GB of storage that is. Because even with streaming (eg Spotify) you have the option of downloading (frequently played) music because 5G is coming but the carriers are still hoarding data like giant corporate dragons in their lairs 😉

UPDATE: speaking of daily deals, one of the 100 Kindle e-books offered for this day is Leonard Cohen’s “The Flame: Poems Notebooks Lyrics Drawings” (288 pages) going for $4.

Tuesday (Phones as DAPs): Unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note 9 for $649

Betrayed by Samsung, headphone jack fans can say goodbye to the Note 10, and can mayhaps hold on to the Galaxy Note 9 which is the most recent (and previous generation model) that has a 3.5mm headphone jack. And as fate would have it, the factory unlocked Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is on sale for $650 in the 128GB edition or $840 in the 512GB edition (FLAC fans unite and takeover) as one of the Amazon Deals of the day for Tuesday December 3 in 2019.

Up to three devices per customer at the sale price (ends 11:59pm pacific time or earlier if sold out). Three is also the number of colors the phone is available in. Unlike the Note 10, there was just one Note 9. This is sold and shipped by Amazon actual, so no worries about the warranty…

Wednesday PAD: refurbished LG V20 for $100

PADs, PADs, PADs on a budget! Good until Wednesday 7/3/18 at 11:59pm central (or earlier if sold out), Woot Electronics is offering the refurbished LG V20 Android smartphone for $100 with free shipping for Prime members or $6 flat calendar-day shipping for non-members. Limit up to three per customer.

This is a 4GB RAM with 64GB on-board model with microSD slot as well, and of course the famous V-series DAC/amp technology. It is the Verizon model with its GSM unlocked so you can also use it as a smartphone on Verizon or your favorite GSM provider (check bands if there are issues in your area).

It comes with a 90-day Woot warranty. NOTE that this is a “scratch and dent” refurbished, so if you are a perfectionist, you may want to avoid it 🙂

MEANWHILE if you scoot on over to “Computers”, there, their daily deal is a 3-pack of Samsung 64GB microSD cards for $30 total…

Saturday PADs: refurb LG V20 for $100

You don’t have to spend the big bucks if you want to get a solid Android phone with good audio/phile innards and with a big screen to boot when you are watching music videos or concerts or when you want to use elaborate equalization curves.

All that brings us to the refurbished scratch and dent LG V20 (unlocked) offered for $100 with free shipping for Prime members [or $6 flat shipping for non-members] and with a 90-day Woot warranty. Limit up to three per customer at the sale price.

As a refresher, this has the Quad DAC, a headphone jack, 4GB RAM, 64GB on-board and microSD storage, removable battery, USB-C, 5.7-inch screen, Snapdragon 820, Adreno 530, etc. This came out in the Fall of 2016.

Speaking of daily deals, the Best Buy website offers the new condition MEE Matrix Cinema Wireless Over Ears for $90 with free US shipping or free store pick up if possible.

The above offers end on Saturday 6/8/19 at 11:59pm central time ~ or earlier if they sell out…

Monday PADs: LG V30+ (LS998) for $399

For Monday in the pacific time zone, among the daily deals at NewEGG, you can get the new condition LG V30+ (model LS998) for $399 with free shipping from marketplace seller BREED [a rather unfortunate seller name if you ask me]. This phone of course is of PAD interest. PAD being “phones as DAPs”. With its famed quad DAC, 128GB of on-board storage that can fit plenty of digital music and streaming downloads, along with a microSD card, 6-inch screen and Snapdragon 835 that should be able to handle music and video apps for years to come, and IP68 water/dust-proofness to survive life as a DAP, and such…

Mon: unlocked LG V30+ for $400

It’s PAD time once again! Among the Monday deals of the day at Amazon you can get the new condition factory unlocked LG V30+ smartphone for $400 with free shipping, sold and shipped by marketplace seller BREED. Being the “+” model, it comes with 128GB of storage, so if you prefer to store your music on-board or use high-capacity formats (WAV, etc), then it’s a plus. This being a V-series of course, it is well-known for its quad DAC and such…

PS: I am tempted to get one of the V30* models as a PAD and turn it into a universal music and music-video player since my Fiio and Clips can’t stream or play videos…

PADs: Used LG V40 for $639

If you want to use the LG V40 flagship smartphone at a DAP but balk at the full new condition price, fear not! New York’s finest B&H Photo is offering it in USED condition for $629 in “condition 10”. This is the factory unlocked North American variant, in the “aurora black” color scheme.

With a 6-inch screen, this can be great for music videos and concerts too, and/or some of the more luxurious music playback and equalizer apps. With 6GB of RAM, it should be able to handle Android music and video streaming apps for years to come. It has 64GB on-board storage plus microSD slot.

On the other hand, if you prioritize on the quad DAC and you are not revved up to get the latest “phone” specs, the new condition unlocked LG V30+ goes for $495 after a $5 off (!) clip-on coupon. This is a USA warranty model. Being a “+”, it has 128GB on-board.

PADs: Unlocked LG G6 for $250 [Monday only]

From the “Phones as DAPs” (PADs) department, good until Monday 10/22/18 at 11:59pm eastern time, you can get the new condition, unlocked, carrier-free LG G6 for $250 with free shipping at B&H Photo. This is in the Ice Platinum color scheme.

NOTE: this is the international version phone but it comes with a 1-year warranty from B&H Photo itself…

Wedn: Sennheiser PX684i neckband earbuds for $20 w/FS; LG V30S ThinQ for $600

There are two headphone-related offers at the B&H Daily Deals running until Wednesday at 11:59pm eastern (or earlier if any of them happens to sellout ahead of time).

We start with the earphones, they are earbuds, of the neckband type. IT is the new condition Sennheiser PMX 684i In-Ear Neckband Sports earbuds with iOS remote control buttons for $20 with free shipping.

Next up, on the PADs front (Phones as DAPs), the new condition factory unlocked LG V30S ThinQ Smartphone (128GB onboard) is offered for $600 with free shipping with two different color options to pick from. This was among the last Snapdragon 835 smartphones with a headphone jack [the latest models have the 845], with 128GB of on-board storage plus microSD slot for even more FLACs and WAVs and such, Android 8.0, 6″ screen, a solid 6GB RAM which should be more than enough for all your music streaming and equalizing and visualizing needs, Bluetooth 5.0, apt-X HD, FM radio, USB Type C version 3.1, and so forth. And of course the famous V-series DAC technology.

PADs: LG V30S ThinQ unlocked for $680

For a limited time, New York’s B&H Photo is offering the new condition factory unlocked LG V30S ThinQ smartphone for $680 with free expedited shipping. It is available in two color schemes. It comes with a 1-year warranty out of the box, but if you register it with LG, you get a second year of warranty coverage!

The LG V-series is praised for its audio components, and it has a 3.5mm headphone jack, unlike certain other flagship smartphone lines. The nice screen is also a plus if you like to watch a lot of music videos or concerts on it! Note though that this uses the Snapdragon 835, while the brand new flagships are using the newer 845.

It comes with 128GB of on-board storage, which may be more than enough for some music collections if you also utilize a lot of music streaming, but if you need more, it also takes microSD cards up to a theoretical 2TB.

Phones as DAPs: Sony XZ1 Compact for $370 [LDAC]

If you like a more compact Android phone as your “Phone as DAP” (PAD), and you prefer new condition and factory unlocked with a previous-generation flagship Snapdragon, and you like your PAD to support LDAC, the new condition “Sony XZ1 Compact” is on sale for $370 with free shipping by Amazon actual in the black color scheme with up to four per customer at the sale price. This is an old fashioned sale, not a lightning deal.

It supports LDAC, has a Snapdragon 835, 4.6″ display (yes, under 5 inches!), 4GB RAM, 32GB on-board, GSM, Android Oreo, USB-C charging, QC 3.0, AND a headphone jack!

[DEAD] Wedn Phones as DAPs: refurb LG V10 for $120, V20 for $180

This offer expired…

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[DEAD] PADs: $25 off preowned iPhone SEs ($164+ after coupon)

These offers expired…

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Honor 7X with Honor Bluetooth Earphones for $225 (with Band 3 for $254)

From the “PADs” department (Phones as DAPs”), the official Honor Store is offering for a limited time the Honor 7X phone along with the Honor bluetooth earphones for $225, or you can add the Band 3 wearable to the bundle and pay $254 instead. This has a 3.5mm headphone jack, 18:9 display (think playlist editing), 32GB on-board storage and microSD (up to 256GB), microUSB, Bluetooth 4.1 with LE (Low Energy), etc…

Phones as DAPs: LG V30 for $22.50/mo on 24-mo plan [$540 total]

If you are not tempted by the new AI version of the LG V30, the one with the goofy name of “ThinQ” revealed at MWC 2018 [yes, it has a headphone jack], Verizon Wireless is having a $300 off trickle-monthly promotion on the new condition LG V30 if you buy it on a 24-month installment plan. The monthly price will be $22.50 and at the end of the 24 months, you own the phone. That’s because the discount is applied monthly, instead of up front. That makes it $540 for the phone with ownership at the end of the 24 month cycle.

If you want to buy the phone upfront, it doesn’t look like it’s eligible for the $300 off discount. This is only a good deal if you plan to have Verizon Wireless service in the next 24 months.

Phones as DAPs: refurb HTC One M8 for $90

From the “Phones as DAPs” department, if you are looking for a double figures Android DAP without breaking the bank, the refurbished HTC One M8 is offered as a “Scratch & Dent” for $90 at part of the longer running Woot deals, this one is good until March 1st (or earlier if sold out). Limit up to ten per customer.

This is a Verizon + GSM unlocked phone, with 2GB RAM, 32GB on-board and microSD card (of particular music interest obviously), Snapdragon 801, 5 inch screen, etc. It comes with a 90-day Woot warranty.

Shipping is free for Prime members (must login to Woot with our Amazon Prime account), otherwise it’s the usual $5 flat for everything you buy during the central time zone calendar day.

Phones as DAPs: LG G6+ (Quad DAC, 128GB, USA warranty, Unlocked) drops to $470

If you want a quad DAC in your Android smartphone but for one reason or another don’t want the LG V30, there is now a US warranty alternative, the LG G6+, new condition, factory unlocked, with USA warranty, in the Amazon Prime Exclusive version dropping from $520 to $470 with free Prime shipping.

This went for $500 before Amazon removed the Lockscreen Ads from their “Prime Exclusive” phones and increased their price by $20 to $520. So now it’s down $50 (or down $30 from the previous previous price) but without lockscreen ads.

Limit one per customer at the moment. The shipping estimate is currently a variable “1 to 2 months”. Amazon tends to be conservative on the estimates (so as not to over-promise something they can’t deliver on time), but still, if you want this by a specific time in the near future, there are no guarantees for delivery when you need/want it! So keep that in mind.

Phones as DAPs: LG G6+ with Quad DAC for $520 (Prime only)

Starting today (February 7 in 2018), Amazon is no longer selling their Prime Exclusive phones with Lockscreen and other Ads. Instead they are sold ad-free. Their prices went up by $20 since yesterday to counter the ad removal. Of audio interest, the LG G6+ with its Quad DAC and 128GB on-board storage is now going for $520 with free shipping. This is a US warranty model, unlocked, and working with US carriers. Only Prime members can buy them.

Phones as DAPs: LG V30 (Unlocked, USA Warranty) for $675; LG G6+ Prime Ads (128GB, Quad DAC too) for $500

From the “Phones as DAPs” department, especially if you are looking to get both a new phone and a new DAP, the new condition, factory unlocked, with USA warranty LG V30 is currently on sale for $675 with free shipping in the cloud silver color scheme at B&H Photo. You can also get a second year of warranty by registering the product online with LG.

Considering all the specs of this model, it can be used as a DAP long after it may be considered too old to be your main phone. The Quad DAC, 64GB onboard and microSD, Snapdragon 835, 4GB RAM, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 18:9 (easier playlist management), 802.11ac, NFC, FM radio, IP68, Qi charging, are more than good enough to handle music streaming apps for many years to come.

LG G6+ for $500 with Prime Lockscreen Ads
If you want a Quad DAC, but prefer a slightly smaller screen and slightly smaller price, Amazon is offering the Prime exclusive LG G6+ for $500. You will get Amazon Lockscreen Offers and Ads, which is why you pay a lower price. The G6+ model has the quad DAC in the US version, with 128GB on-board storage, microSD, 4GB RAM, Snapdragon 821, 18:9 screen, IP68, and so forth.

I haven’t used any of Amazon’s “Lockscreen Ads” phones/tablets, so I don’t know how annoying or helpful they can be [helpful if you are an Amazon bargain hunter]. The ads on the Kindle e-book readers are not annoying and occasionally useful [in finding deals], but e-ink screens limit the type of advertising, while smartphones have a lot more [annoying] ads options 🙂

Seller Refurbished LG V20 for $210
If you want an even better price, the LG V20 is offered seller refurbished for $210 with free shipping by eBay seller “Guarantee Cellular” (96.3%, Brooklyn) is Titan or Silver color schemes. This is a higher risk purchase, but they offer a 30 day guarantee. Still if you hate the idea of having to return something, you may want to avoid this. Over 480 units have been sold from this listing so far.

Phones as DAPs: refurbished LG V20 for $230

From the “Phones as DAPs” department, especially if you want one for a big enough screen to watch music videos or music performances, eBay seller Guaranteeee Cellular is offering the seller refurbished LG V20 for $230 with free shipping and 30-day returns and a 60-day seller warranty.

It is available in two color schemes. This is the Verizon version with unlocked GSM. Check bands and such if you are planning to use it as a phone as well. Given the screen size and specs, you can also use it as an in-home/in-office mini-tablet.

Seller refurbished is a higher risk than manufacturer refurbished, as you rely on the seller to stand behind their work. That’s why the price is lower, so that’s a trade-off some are willing to make.

In addition to the praised DAC/Audio module, this has other music-playback friendly features, such as 64GB on-board plus microSD (up to 256GB), 4GB RAM, a previous generation flagship processor (so it won’t have problem using music/streaming apps for many years), 5.7-inch screen, etc.

PS: I have now began putting the “Phones as DAPs” under the Digital Audio Players category

Phones as DAPs: LG V30 (USA warranty, Unlocked) for $675

From the “Phones as DAPs” department, the well-regarded LG V30 is now on sale for $675 with free shipping, factory unlocked, with USA warranty at B&H Photo, a very reputable online and B&M dealer.

Of audio interest, in addition to the well-regarded DAC/amp, this has 4GB of RAM, 64GB of on-board storage, a Snapdragon 835, a microSD slot, Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, 802.11ac, water/dust-proof, headphone jack, USB-C charging/connector, and more. All these means it will be able to keep up with music streaming apps for many years to come, and it has the latest Bluetooth version and fast Wifi.

Phones as DAPs: refurb HTC M8 for $75

If you are looking for a Phone as a DAP, the good old HTC M8, a Verizon unlocked phone, in the red color scheme (which makes it loom more DAP-ish than phone-ish) is on sale for $75 with free shipping in seller refurbished condition by eBay seller “Guarantee Cellular” with a 60-day seller warranty. The other colors are sold out.

Android phones, even older ones, are typically better suited at dealing with music and streaming apps than Android DAPs since the DAP manufacturer have nowhere near the same level of Android experience as a phone manufacturer (other things equal).

The M8 has a microSD slot, it marks the re-embrace of the microSD card by HTC after the M7. HTC was also among the first to abandon the headphone jack, so they may be among the first to do the mea culpa 🙂

The M8, M9 and M10 all have a headphone jack. The HTC U11 abandoned it.

Phones as DAPs: LG V30 for $540 with a 24-month Verizon Installment Plan

On the “Phones as DAPs” front, the current LG flagship, the new condition with USA warranty V30 phone with all its state of the art phone audio features has a special promotion until 12/13/17 at Verizon Wireless. If you purchase it with a 24-month installment plan, you will get a $300 off discount on its current price of $840. You will pay $540 for it, divided over 24 months, making it a $22.50/month installment. You own the phone at the end of the 24 months, this is not a confused Sprint lease plan 🙂 On approved credit and all that good stuff.

Phones as DAPs: refurbished HTC One M9 for $100

As part of their Under $100 TechRabbit sale, you can get a $100 (okay, $99.99) “Phone as DAP”, the refurbished HTC One M9 in gray or silver color scheme, with 32GB storage and microSD slot AND a headphone jack. The M9 was the second to last HTC flagship with a headphone jack. It is the Sprint version with its GSM unlocked. It comes with free shipping and a 90-day warranty.

(ENDED) Friday’s Phones as DAPs: refurbished LG V10 for $135

This daily offer expired…

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[DEAD] Essential Phone w/360 Camera for $399

This Cyber Monday offer expired…

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PADs: refurbished HTC One M9 for $100

If you like to use phones as DAPs (PADs), for example, you listen to a lot of streaming services and like to use some of the Google Play music apps for your own music, we have a $100 offer for you.

One of the early pre Black Friday sales at NewEgg Flash is the refurbisehd HTC One M9 for $100 with free shipping. It is available in three different color options. The seller is “AllBuyHome”. This has both a headphone jack and a microSD slot (HTC brought it back with the M8)

The HTC M10 was the last HTC flagship to have a headphone jack. The U11 line after that removed the headphone jack. The list of smartphones without is growing but they are all cursed 🙂 The HTC U11 is not getting traction with consumers despite great reviews, the Motorola Z series is mostly ignored even though everyone’s in love with their Moto G series, Le Eco is having major financial troubles, the Pixel 2s are plagued with hardware problems 🙂

Pre-order LG G6+ with Quad DAC and QuadPlay headphones for $500 [Amazon Prime Lockscreen Ads version]

From the “Phones as DAPs” department, Amazon is now accepting pre-orders for the new condition LG G6+ 128GB smartphone with the quad-DAC and QuadPlay headphones [included in the box] for $500. This is the Prime Exclusive with Lockscreen Offers and Ads version, so keep that in mind.

The regular LG G6, which is also getting its own Lockscreen version for $400, does not have the Quad-DAC.

These are expected to ship November 9 in 2017, and they are available for purchase for Prime members only.

If you are not a Prime member, or not logged on to your Prime account, you will see a different offer – the LG G6+ will be $800 and it will encourage you to sign up for Prime. After you become a paying Prime member, you will receive a $300 Amazon Gift Card, making it a $500 phone when you factor in the $300 gift card.