DAP discussion thread

I shouldn't have a problem with it then. I just need something form-fitting to keep it from getting slapped around while it's in my carry-on.

Thanks!

 

Reading through this thread and returning to my orginal idea of a phone + Dragonfly Red. It also has compromises (convenience and size). @Torq , you have played around with this a bit. How do this kind of setup compare to these more expensive daps?

 

Favorably.

When I'm traveling light, I just take my iPhone, Dragonfly Red and either SE846 or Bose QC20i (depending on if I'm traveling with company or not). I don't find that I'm missing very much. I prefer the DFR to my AK120 into the SE846 (though an iFi iEMatch with the AK120 helps a lot). The Sony NW-WM1A beats both of them, quality-wise.

I've done various "stack" combinations, including the AK120, RSA Intruder, Chord Mojo, ALO International+ OE and, of course, the phone, and for the most part I just wind up irritated by the mess of cables and adapters to the point where I enjoy what I'm doing more either with the Phone -> DFR -> IEM or DAP -> IEM setups.

 

Something like the Sony ZX100?

 

That is good to hear. Think I will pursue that path (adding DF to phone) in this case. My IEMs are not nearly as highend as yours so the difference in sound quality will be irrelevant.

 

Isn't DFB better for SE846 since SE846 is quite sensitive if I understood correctly?

 

The SE846 are very sensitive, yes. But trying the DFB and DFR back to back with them, I preferred the DFR.

The DFR also does a better job when I have to take a laptop and have room for non-IEM transducers.

 

You would still consider the Black and upgrade over phones headphone output though?

 

Yep. I suspect that part of the problem is that when you're buying a DAP, and you're not just using it as a transport, you're buying most of a chain. Think about how much all our desktop chains vary- we all have different priorities and places where we're willing to compromise.. and DAP builders are fitting all of that into a set BOM.

Well, OK, maybe the Z is more Sony going hog-wild and not worrying as much about the BOM except after the fact. I'm sure that thing sounds great- but even if I could justify the price, I am not sure I'd want half a kilo of very dense metal tearing the lining of the inside pocket of my favourite jackets. Call me a metrosexual lightweight if you will, but I suspect that at half the weight and less than half the price, the A is a much better bet for me.

Oh, and I'm quite impressed by that crazy class-D output stage amp/DAC thing. Are you listening, Chord? This is how you do high-fidelity mobile audio. It's getting harder and harder not to spaff detailed impressions, as I don't think this thing is going to suddenly start sounding worse. Gnnh..

Weirdly, the official Nintendo 3DS case works insanely well to protect the the Sony. It's a mostly hard case with soft lining, some shock absorption and a very sturdy velcro closure. When I am using it, the unit tends to just be in a small Cordura bag, slipped into a jacket pocket. However, if I'm just carrying it in a backpack with loads of other stuff, this case does the trick.

It may get more use than the 3DS itself did.



(Pulled out slightly to show the DAP, the case is slightly longer than the DAP- it fits snugly, and there's a little bit of space at the top, which is perfect for gathering the top of the little Cordura bag.)

 

There are plenty who do that like the AK JR and 70, the Lotoo 5000, some Sony, etc. Also I hear the latest from Cozoy, the Rei, is excellent.

 

I think the DFR is a little bit of a sleeper. The soncis are no joke although it's a touch tilted at both ends (slight U curve). But it's a good compromise for me being dead quiet with my customs and able to drive some efficient full sized headphones. The convenience is perfect as I hate keeping another battery charged on a dap.

The golden bullet may end up being the firmware update that brings hardware MQA decoding that will play through Tidal. if that all works seamlessly I really don't think that I'd miss my dap that much.

 

Only the Sony has great battery life. The AK 70 isn't small from what I can tell. The Jr. is a mess usability wise. The Lotoo doesn't have great sound judging by reviews. And the Rei isn't a DAP, is it?

The Sony ZX100 seems like it might fit the bill.

Anyway it seems like an underutilized market. I think a good size target would be the Iphone 5S/SE.

 

The ak70 will arrive at my house today. I am sending the xdp.100r back due to the problems with the android audio resampling. We will see how the ak70 compares with the dfr.

I like the dfr, but my phone drains quick enough due to working in a public school building with terrible reception.

If the ak70 is not up to the task, I will swap it for one of the cowons (p1/pm2).

 

I haven't heard any of the other DAPs being discussed, but I am really happy with my ZX100 and Andros. You can get one for less than $500 and Marv indicated that he didn't think it gave up much, if anything, to the ZX2 SQ-wise. Just keep in mind that it's not Android like the ZX2, so you aren't getting streaming or anything like that.

 

I can confirm AK Jr has serious issue. Mine has crashed 2 times on top of more than 5 occasions when the screen wouldn't turn on (while playback & buttons are fine) since 2 days ago. Database was a mere 41 GB of ALACs. Updated to FW 1.03. My patience was lost last night; deleted, restored and gonna be on its way back to seller soon. The problem might be specific to my unit, but from now on I will avoid ChiFi & SKorFi.

 

Hard to say, since it is going to be dependent on exactly which phone you're comparing to.

While in most cases I'd expect it to beat the built-in outputs on pretty much any phone, I've not done any real testing with other phones. I simply compared both to the native output on my iPhone 6S and MacBook Pro and had a clear preference for the Dragonflys. After that I was only interested in whether I liked the DFB or DFR better, and I settled on the DFR. Details on that will be in a portable-DAC comparison than I'm writing up but haven't gotten finished yet.

Note that if you have an Android phone you're probably going to have to use UAPP if you want to avoid forced re-sampling and have proper volume control with the Dragonfly units. But again, that depends on the phone in question.

 

So the AK70 went back today. There was nothing really wrong, but also nothing of note for $535. That's a lot of money for a lack of distinction. It didn't hold up to my dfr really well either.

 

Iriver A&K has always been only worth it second hand at firesale prices. Never worth what iriver actually asks for them.

 

My feelings exactly.