Mobile phone with good speaker quality?

[RobbW]

I'm looking for a new mobile phone and my number one criteria is good voice/speaker quality. I'be got a $100 credit to put towards a phone in my Verizon contract.

I don't need a loud phone, my hearing is quite good and I rarely need to turn the speaker volume above the "2" setting, but I do want good quality sound. I've seen reviews, but these center mostly on features.

In order, I'm interested in:
Good voice quality
small-ish size
quality build (robust, not necessarily bomb proof)
illuminated keypad for use in dark
earphone plug

I don't need:
web access
camera/video
games
other options, just a good quality phone and sound

Any recommendations?

 

[Kanai]

I have a Verizon Lg 8100 (no longer available), my son has the newer version, the LG 8300. In my opinion, these phones have a really good sound quality. Mainly because they were designed to be used as a MP3 player (besides being a phone). I listen to music with or without the headphones, sounds great to me.

 

[RobbW]

Thanks, I'll look at the LG 8XXX series.

It's a tough issue to get good information on, and you can't really make a sample call on the display phones in the store. I'm finding I have to rely on second-hand data.

Thanks again.

 

[Luff]

Same comments as Kanai about another LG phone, the CU500 ... but it has the camera, video and other toys I don't use.

 

[tebore]

I know my Samsung D820 has amazing sound quality and volume.