The All Purpose Advice Thread

iPhone's native output is not re-sampled, so you can use the native applications (Spotify, TIDAL, Apple Music, etc.) with no issues with a supported external DAC and it'll drive it natively. Mojo (and AudioQuest's DragonFly) will both even tell you what bit-depth/sample rate they are receiving.

You will only require a third-party application if you want to play content above 24 bit/48 KHz. But since the streaming services are, currently, pretty much universally 16/44.1 that's not much of a concern.

To make this work you'll need Apple's Lightning to USB/Camera Adapter (there are two versions; one lets you charge/power the phone while still connecting to an external USB device), and then whatever USB cable you want to use to connect your DAC (e.g. the one that comes int he box with the Mojo).

 

The NightHawk are very special and even at home with my setup, I had to spend a lot of time with them before being able to fully appreciate their sound signature.

 

It's also worth mentioning that if you use an iPhone, you will need to convert any FLACs that you want to play into ALAC, if you want all the benefit of the stock app ecosystem- otherwise you'd need third party apps to play them.

The good news is that because FLAC and ALAC are both lossless, you can make perfect conversions- it's super quick and easy in Foobar 2000, with the appropriate plugins, for example.

(Sorry to pitch in again with yet more needless complexity, when @Torq is busy talking sense..)

 

I need your advice. It is time to replace my DAP.

The DAPs I am considering are the Fiio DAPs. I am on a budget and I swear by FLAC. So X1-ii or X3-ii?

 

Although it will cost me a lot more - I'll have to get a newer or new iPhone for app compatibility - I prefer the idea of not using a third-party app, so this will probably be the route I go. Apple Music sounds like a nice way to do it. I am going to have to research and think a lot more before deciding on something, but you've been extremely, extremely helpful to me. Thank you so much!

 

Are the typical Apple Music subscription downloads in FLAC? This doesn't seem like needless complexity! It seems important if I won't be able to play the songs without converting!

 

Actually... Now that I think about it, an unlocked iPhone is going to cost me WAY too much. Oh, goodness... I have so much to think about!

 

No.

For streaming the format doesn't matter. It's either lossless (TIDAL, Qobuz) or it's not (everything else).

FLAC vs. ALAC only matters for LOCAL files that you're storing on your phone (e.g. CD rips, hi-res downloads). But as @Kattefjaes says, if you convert any files you want to store locally to ALAC (which is quick, easy, and lossless) then you can continue to use Apple's standard apps all the way up to 24/96 KHz.

Now ... excepting TIDAL and Qobuz, all of the subscription streaming/download services only provide lousily-compressed files. With Apple Music it's AAC @ 256 Kbp/s (about the same realized quality as Spotify's 320 Kbp/s Ogg/Vorbis). Both are 16/44.1, but the stream uses lossy compression. If you want uncompressed streaming/downloads it's TIDAL or Qobux (unless I'm missing a service somewhere).

But, if you're using TIDAL there's nothing to convert ... and nothing else to thing much about.

 

No, Apple Music will only give you things that will work right out of the box, don't worry. However, it's a very popular lossless format at many non-Apple download sites. The point was mostly to say "if you get some FLACs, and are using Apple gear, don't panic", and make you aware that an iPhone won't play them without third-party software or prior conversion- but that it's no big deal.

 

An iPod Touch will do the same job, much less expensively, with WiFi support for streaming, it just won't have cellular DATA. IT CAN use a shared Hotspot connection from whatever phone you use if you want to stream away from WiFi.

 

I have owned both. The X3 is harsh up top compared to X1, but has a digital out which I have not used. X3 has a silicon case included while a good case for the X1 will set you back $20 - $40. Hope this helps.

 

For my Sansa Fuze I made a paper case reinforced with duct tape. I can make my own case. Harsh highs, no thank you.

X1-ii in December it is.

 

Kinda curious here, does the Fiio X1 ii have the same sandy mids as its predecessor?

 

No idea, most reviews I found summarised that it sounds pretty good for the money. That is acceptable for me.

On the go I want my FLACs to sound acceptable to good. With my K181DJ I usually have "large bass" on anyway.

 

I didn't own the first generation X1. I can tell you that my X1ii sounded better out of Sennheiser HD439 than out of some KRK 6400s, which I found fatiguing. The Sennheiser veil at work?

 

If I use TIDAL, I will be using their lossy option, as lossless is $20 a month, which is just a little too costly for me. To my ears, 256 and 320 kbps sound great with the Grado SR60i. Although, I have no info on if lossy will sound bad with the HD600. I'm not sure how revealing they are...

 

Oh, I see! That makes sense.

 

No real reason to do TIDAL then.

And it seems a little backward to me to contemplate spending $600 on a DAC/amp, and $200-400 on a dedicated player to feed it, and then short-change it with lossy source material for a difference that is $120/year.

Personally I'd put more into the headphones, make sure I could cover a lossless subscription to TIDAL or Qobuz, and choose whatever DAC/amp I could still cover with the remainder of my budget.

 

I had considered this, but I remember seeing that Apple Music would only work on iPhone.

 

Apple Music also works on Android.

And of course it works with iTunes on macOS and Windows.