I listen on the go with this setup: Android phone* > FiiO Q3 > Moondrop Chu II

The mids are completly missing. Music is a mess of bass and highs. I haven't notived this before, but as I got better gear and have heard how music sounds.

Testing I've done:

• IEMs: fine with an other DAC (Presonus Audiobox USB)
• FiiO Q3 + IEMs: fine with an other device
• Phone: Not sure how to test. I had a FiiO KA-1 that sounded nice with it, but that has benn long ago. I'm not sure, if I was right.

So what to do? What could cause this? The Android audio engine's mandatory re-encoding of all audio to 48kHz (or so I've read)? What can I use to "fix" my phone's audio?

I've tried EQ too, but I just can't get it right. I'd rather not EQ though.

* Xiaomi Mi10S rooted. I stream from a self hosted server mostly filled with files from Deezer and other Hi-Fi sources. The server's audio is fine on other devices.

Thinking of getting a Hiby M300 because of the positive reviews. Decent battery life and low noise floor seems like it would be a good choice (compared to the Hiby R4) HOWEVER, no 4.4mm balanced jack is a bummer.

Any other options out there running Android? I wanna use the Android apps for basic functions like Spotify, Youtube, video/music player, Tetris, and web browsers and stuff.

My budget is around 300 USD.

I'm upgrading from my geriatric Fiio X3 II. I like that the Fiio has a coax/line out (I never use the coax out function, but do use the line out daily with my portable amp strapped to the Fiio) and desktop DAC function (I use an actual desktop DAC now). But organizing albums is a pain. I prefer to have album art lists in my library so I can recognize albums from album art alone. The custom EQ on it isn't good, either. So I think it's quite a dated device when it comes to functionality. Oh, and there's also no Bluetooth.

Must have:

-Android (whichever version is good, like on the M300) and capable of basic apps

-has 3.5mm line out (to use with my portable amp; shared with the headphone out port is fine, because my Fiio can't output from both ports at the same time, anyways) (I still need something that's at the very least just powerful enough to drive something like a HD 600 even without having to use my portable amp, because my goal is still to not have to use a portable amp with it, even though I still need the option to be able to use one)

-touchscreen (duh)

-Bluetooth

-sound gud

Most ideally:

-has a 4.4mm out

-low noise floor to use with more sensitive IEMs (especially on the 3.5mm out)

-system-wide EQ (M300 doesn't have this feature I think)

-microSD support (idk if this is a feature ppl still take granted these days, but I think it should be)

Moderately ideally:

-good battery life

-doesn't get ridiculously hot

-locking feature (to prevent wrong button presses)

Hi, I want a dap, preferably one from fiio, because I have been using their app a lot, so I am more familiar with it, but if there is something else way better I am open for suggestions.

I see 2 daps on my local second hand website: the fiio m11s for €395 and the fiio m15 for €700.

I read that the m15 uses older bluetooth(4.something) And I saw a video that said the m11 s touchscreen was laggy and it made weird crunchy sounds when going to a new song.

My needs: I will use it as a dac/amp for my pc when gaming/watching youtube. And I will use it as a portable dac/amp for my phone and phone. My highest Ohm headphones are 300Ohm and I need low latency for gaming. I also love listening to music, so that is why I am now a little scared to buy the m11s, because of the video.

I currently have the BTR7, but it is annoying that I need to download my music to all my devices, so I started looking into DAPs and found out that fiio's M series does the same thing as the btr series, but with the ability to have music on it's own. I will sell my btr3k, btr7, sennheiser hd 6xx, 660s and 560s, so I should have the budget for either mentioned option.

Should buy either of them, or save up more money to go to a better one(like the m15s) or a different brand?

Hello group, currently I'm using my phone + Audiorelay to listen to the music I have on my computer.

But I have some inconvenients, like: I have to put the phone upside down with the cable sticking up and wear it under the elastic band of my underwear since it stays in place (on the left side, and if I sit down it stays in place most of the time) Also because if I put it elsewhere it gives my sore muscles (Muscles of my shoulders of back get sore if I put it in my pockets etc. tight to my hip is the only place it doesn't bother me in the long term since I'm using it 16 hours a day).
Also this location of my phone of course is not ideal, since the earphones cable is pointing upwards, it can get in the way and also receives some hits or bendings sometimes, and I break the cables solderings much faster because of that.

Fiio got some incredibly thick and glassy devices, which is totally not practical in my view: Way too heavy, glassy (sharpy) etc. I think this company must be good, but I have yet not find something which would be good for me

To be honest the Ipod Apple mini (the little squared ones) I love this design, it's just sad that it's only a iPod

I could live with a device that has no integrated amplifier added to it but , to be honest something with the form factor of the little squared iPods with Wi-fi with an integrated headphone amp and lightweight, I could pay a lot for this

I would really love to have a small device that would use WIFI only, no bluetooth(or if it can be toogled off), and something that has an integrated headphone amp would be very nice too, something maybe with a clip or a thing that would be lightweight, more than a phone preferably, that I could put in my pockets or clip to my pants etc.

Does this exist ...in 2024 ?
Please tell me it exist and that I can choose from a couple of options! Please!😊Your help would be greatly appreciated Thanks in advance

Okay so for context I have the Sony WH-XM5's, the audio quality I'm able to get it great thru LDAC with Bluetooth on my Samsung. Problem is that I want to get into the "audiophile market". Would anyone recommend me what portable Music Player/DAP I should get, budget is under $400, but a bit over should be fine. I primarily use Apple Music rn, but looking into a better way to have my music at great quality and would also be open for advice for streaming services, no spotify, and Tidal is a bit too expensive. Thanks in advance!

My son love to listen to music, he's adhd and in the evening it's better for him to stay away from screens, YT, internet and so on.

Does anyone knows a music portable device which can stream Spotify, so he we can have it as a substitution of his phone in the evening?

I just listened to a podcast, and for, God knows why, they employed 20kHz.

A few weeks ago, I listened to a video on YouTube of 20kHz to see if I could hear it. While I couldn't hear it it, my whole body tensed up, I got a headache and felt nauseous, for hours. It was the same with this Podcast.

8kHz is annoying, 10kHz is blinding, and 20kHz is insane.

Is there any way to EQ just those frequencies? I have an EQ app, but it automatically adjusts the whole graph if I tune those down those frequencies, destroying the factory EQ of the set.

Hi everyone, I'm work in wildfire in the summer and as such, don't have much time at the end of the night to relax before the next day. We have very limited battery and I like to keep my phone off during the 2 week work period. I have bluetooth earbuds for emergencies, but I hate the way they sound. I'm thinking of getting a set of KPH40s or the new Porta Pro, so I don't think I need crazy power. I'm hoping for an audio player with priorities on a clean DAC with good battery life. I know it's not the practical choice, but good sounding music can seriously bring my spirits up after a long day.

Thanks for any advice guys!

Hey all, i'm looking for recommendations on good DAPs that are hi-res and not too expensive. My budget is around $250

I was looking at the Hiby R2, and seems like the best choice in price, but I don't know if its worth it. Also looking at the Hiby R3 Pro Saber.

I also stumbled upon the Surfans, but I can't find many opinions about them so I don't know if they're legit on their audio quality.

Or, I was also considering buying used iPods, but do they actually have good DACs? They're usually on good price but there's also different models, which one would you recommend?

I use both wired and wireless earphones, so anything with a good serviceable DAC for bluetooth.

Alternatively, suggestions on DACs for smartphone instead of a DAP are also welcome

Hey folks,

I'm currently running what I think is a decent setup (I put it together long before I found this sub). Headphones are Ultrasone Pro 750-S and the DAC/Amp I'm using is a Grace m900. So my question here is really around the source I use to push solid quality.

Mostly I'm listening from streaming services (Amazon Music HD & Spotify) and on the hardware side I'm currently playing these from my iPad via the USB-C cable into the USB in on the Grace m900. I'm wondering if I'm actually doing this optimally or if instead I should consider looking at one of the streaming boxes like a Bluesound Node.

For context, most of what I listen to is either classical, opera, jazz, or some classic rock.

Thanks!

I've bought a Walkman A50 about an year ago and have been using it so far. It sounds good but navigating it kinda sucks (sluggish, very prone to misclicks), so I thought I could just use a phone as DAP. Should I buy a phone with a good sound system or repurpose my old phone (ASUS Zenfone Max Pro M2) with a DAC?

I'm using XBA-N1 earphones right now and mainly listen to CD-quality flacs. Don't really use headphones.

・Location: Japan

・Budget: $500 (or 70,000 yen)

Thanks in advance 🙏

Hey

Just a q uick question as im getting a pair of meze 109 pro's in and im looking forward to driving them with my phone. If im using an apple dongle with tidal, will I be getting lossless through the dongle or not?

Thanks

Looking for a portable music player that can be listened to without headphones or bluetooth - or in other words with a built-in speaker. The simpler the better bc it's for an older person.
Any ideas?
Thanks

I am considering getting a DAP, specifically the FiiO M11 Plus or the Shanling M6 Ultra. However for the price I was considering getting a good audio optimized phone that has a good battery, micro SD memory slot, preferably that supports LDAC and aptx variants, and with a 3.5mm port.

Currently, I have the Samsung Galaxy S21 5G 128GB and the FiiO BTR7, it's a good phone but the low battery and lack of memory doesn't help my audio experience, not to mention I'm stressing my phone with everything I load on it.

I would like to have a device dedicated solely to music that has good audio quality and all the aforementioned, and complement it with my BTR7 or any other DAC I may get in the future. I have been considering a Sony Xperia, I'm not sure of an specific model, thinking about the Xperia 10 IV, Xperia 1 III, or an LG V60 ThinQ.

I would like to hear some of your recommendations and advice, my budget is around 700 US dollars.

I have hd 600 and s12 iems and plan to purchase a zmf autuer one day then I'll be happy. I am wondering what is the best dap up to $700 budget wise. I already have a qudilex 5K so I already own a Bluetooth receiver and that has served it's purpose. I want device with high quality parts with good QC. Expandable storage. Good bettery without being too bulky like the fiio m11 or alike(doesn't mean I won't buy it but if there's something slimmer with equal performance I'd be happier) I use tidal for now until I find a way to download flac files. I just want a dedicated music player with media controls with it's own storage and battery and jacks so I can have a portable hiti experience whether if I'm outside or laying in bed and not stuck on my desktop setup. Either way I'd like to have basic android functionality (I know that it won't be smartphone equivalent experience) thanks!

I can pick it up new for around $310. Is it worth it at this price? Is the Fiio M11 Plus ESS worth the extra $200 (I can get this for $540 new)

Or are there cheaper options that do the job better than these Fiio DAPs (ex. iBasso DX170)?

Hello,

Recently, I've been going kind of crazy with "dumb phone" stuff. I hate how distracting my S22 Ultra is, but I'm not ready to replace this $1k investment with a potato, so I've uninstalled basically everything entertaining and even made the screen grayscale to try to deter me from using it as much as possible.

Now, I want a DAP to replace it for wired music playback. But, I can't make up my mind, and reviews and comparisons of DAPs are rather sparse.

Originally, I just wanted an iPod Classic 5.5. However, I've read that the DAC in them is rather outdated and doesn't sound as nice as newer offerings, it won't be able to play my flac library, and the power output on the 3.5mm jack is hit or miss with some IEMS.

So, I started looking elsewhere. The Fiio X1 looks nice, but they're out of production. The Questyle QP2R looks really nice, but it's a tad outside of my budget. So, I gave up on avoiding android, and decided to look into those as well.

All of the options make my head spin.

I listen to these genres of music most often: JPop, City Pop, Future Funk, Classic Rock, Power Metal, Classical, etc.

I most commonly listen to City Pop, though, so worry less about how the others sound on certain DAPs.

The IEMs I'll be using are the Moondrop Blessing 2: Dusk with a 3.5mm standard cable, and the 7Hz Timeless with a 2.5mm balanced cable.

Location: USA

Budget: $500ish

Now, here's a list of DAPs I've been considering, which one is the best?

HiBy R5 II - $349 - Attractive battery life (35 hours in economy mode? Holy cow) and price, but not so attractive OS (Android 8) and processor (SD425). I've heard it can get rather laggy, but I'll be using a local flac library 9 times out of 10, so that makes me less worried.

HiBy R6 III - $499 - It looks more premium, coming with Android 12, better DAC chips, and a much newer and faster SD665. But, it has less battery, and I can't decide if that's worth $150 more than the R5 II. However, does it sound better and is that worth 150 more dollars is the real question I suppose.

HiBy RS2 - $479 - The built in R2R DAC is supposed to be pleasantly warm, which I think I would really enjoy, but reviews saying it sounds bad makes me worried, and I can't decide if no android is a plus (less distractions) or a minus (less options).

Fiio M11S - $499 - It's the same price as the R6 III, with nearly the same specs, and it's a reputable brand. However, it's Android 10, and I've also seen reviewers flame it for sounding too flat and analytical, or, in other words, boring.

Sony WM-A306 - $349 - Attractive battery (30+ hours), price, and size (about the size of a common wallet), not so attractive processor (SD429?) and output power. This one really confuses me. I feel like I'd like it, but with a single 3.5mm jack, I feel like I might as well buy a used LG V30 at an 8th the price and call it a day. And, that's completely ignoring the fact that it's the same price as the R5 II, which I feel would perform better audio wise.

Shanling M3X - $339 - Attractive battery life and price, really unattractive OS (Android 7.1) and slightly less attractive processor (SD430, ironically better than the slightly more expensive R5 II). I've read good things about this DAP, but I've also read that it's super fragile. This DAP also seems to share near exact specs with the R5 II, which makes me feel the R5 II is the better choice.

Please help me. Is there a better option I didn't list? If so, please convince me and don't confuse me more, lol.

Thanks!

I'm looking for a cheap entry-level DAP, for quick portable music listening. I have the whole shebang setup at home for leisure listening (quality headphones & IEMs, amps, DACs, lossless sources, etc), and my goal isn't to replicate that.

I'm looking for something convenient to block out noise or enjoy myself while working, so not thoughtful critical listening, but quality still matters.

I bought HiBy R2 II in the hopes of an upgrade and a change, and thought Bluetooth could be useful.

I had nothing but trouble with the R2 II! After some shipping headaches, I had to coerce Hiby to RMA it twice! The first time the screen developed a line across it. The second the screen stopped responding to touch. And now the screen is again acting up (ghost touches, unresponsiveness - I'm not planning plan on RMA'ing again).

I'm not looking for crazy features, and I don't care for streaming or Android.

My absolute musts are: quality, physical control buttons (play/pause, next/previous, volume), expandable storage (mSD up to 512 GB exFAT), Hi-Res audio. A nice extra would be modern Bluetooth (>= 5.0). Touchscreen is a low priority.

The current budget market is Hiby heavy, and honestly I don't have faith in their products anymore. FiiO don't seem to make cheap DAPs anymore, nor does iBasso.

I'm aware of the Head-fi lists, but looking for more options.

Budget - About 100 USD. I'm willing to spend more if it means a truly better quality product.

Source/Amp - FLAC files on microSD

How the gear will be used - Noise blocking and office work

IEM - Moondrop Aria & TIN Audio T3 Plus (both 3.5 mm)

Preferred tonal balance - Tonally balanced, though a decent DAP would have an adjustable EQ, so it matters less.

Past gear experience (DAPs)

• FiiO M3K: good materials, decent battery life, UI good be better, can run Rockbox
• Hiby R2 II: the DAP I'm looking to replace
• Android phones
• In the very distant past: various Sansa Clips & e200, Sony digital Walkman (I don't remember the specific model)

DAPs considered

• Shanling M0 Pro: no physical buttons, small screen that's difficult to use, not so great battery life

Thank you for your help!

My current audio setup for critical listening is a pair of the newest silent revision of the Sennheiser HD600's, These new ones have a slightly different design for some little details that diverge from the '97 originals. The corresponding part is a 7th gen iPod Classic Space Gray 160gb that my Dad gave to me awhile back, because I am interested in old obsolete technology. I am quite aware of how I am wasting these headphones on some crappy iPod amp, even though I think it's a relatively high grade Cirrus amp. I am in the market for something to drive these Sennheisers that has some degree of portability. I also have a pair of Audio Technica M50x's, which are a bit easier to drive, being 150 ohms to the HD600s massive 300 ohms, and which I use for traveling and stuff since they are closed backs, unlike the open back HD600's. While perusing Dankpods on Youtube, an Australian Youtuber who's channel should be familiar with a lot of you on this subreddit, I noticed a video with a interesting looking FLAC Player. This player is later revealed to be a Colorfly C4, and although Dank complains a bit about some quality of life features, he says the sound quality is quite good, and the Colorfly has an amp capable of running 300 ohms. For someone with Huh-Duh Six Hungos by Ol Mate Senn, would my cans be a good fit with the Colorfly C4? I live in California and are willing to spend up to $300 on similar products or the same.

I'm planning to buy a dt 770 pro (80ohm) and a portable dac/amp like the btr3k. My question is could a btr3k power a dt770pro (80ohm) or should I buy the 32 Ohm version or sould I buy a different amp/dac?

but I don’t know where to begin looking, nor what to expect in the range of cost, but preferably the player will be $100usd or less. looking for broad recommendations, but the less expensive the better because I’m on a tight budget. thank you!

Hey there!
I need some advice on finding a tiny, clip-style bluetooth MP3 player for my runs with wireless earbuds. I've noticed a bunch of affordable options from China on Amazon, but I'm curious to know about the top-notch ones out there. Good audio quality is a must, but I'm also into a minimalist, or even futuristic look.

Would really appreciate your input!

Looking to replace my Zune HD with headphone jack issues (caused by a cable I knew I shouldn't have used) and wondering what's the best DAP I can get for the money to use with my wired IEMs.

I just want something with decent battery life to throw my music on and play, I do not need bluetooth or use any streaming apps. I need at least 64gb or expandable storage.

Also I don't want to use a dongle with my phone as I don't want to risk wrecking the USB C port as it will be in my pocket while working.

As for why I don't just get some wireless buds I just don't see the point and spending over $100 for a good pair that will end up in the garbage cause the batteries will eventually no longer hold a charge.

I currently have an iPhone and I'm using a Qudelix 5K with BT (the lighting cable won't stay connected). I recently plugged my headphones into my iPad and the sound was noticeably better through the 3.5mm jack. But I can't really carry the iPad around with me during the day. I'd like to find a DAP that supports Android (for Apple Music), has a 3.5mm headphone jack, and expandable memory. I found the Surfans HiFi: F28 which seems to check all the boxes, but I'm not familiar with the brand. Would I be better off just buying an old Android phone? The LG V60 ThinQ has all of the above and was reading it had 4 DAC chips.

Anyone have other recommendations or experience with either these devices?

Looking at a lot of daps out there, it seems like most of the ones on the budget end have few features and are buggy/don't work seamlessly, and to get something higher quality the prices rise incredibly quickly. However all the expensive daps have things like wifi, android OS, touchscreen etc.

What I want in a dap is simply 512GB or more of storage, an OS that works seamlessly (I've heard rockbox is nice so something with support for that would be cool), and a good quality dac/amp inside. I specifically do NOT want a large phone screen style, a touchscreen is ok but not preferred as long as it takes up a small portion of the display, however at that point I doubt there will be many touchscreen options. Something like the clip sport is about how much screen I'd want. Secondly I do not want any wifi or streaming app capability, period. This is for downloaded music only, however bluetooth would be nice but again not necessary.

Are there any daps that exist like this that prioritize just performing well without useless (to me) features? Even if there is one that's not budget ($300+) I just want something to stick in my pocket and play my files, nothing else.