New DAP recommendations

[dizmo]

I'm currently looking at adding a new DAP to my collection, as the one I currently have doesn't have Bluetooth and I'll be getting a Bluetooth speaker soon.

For numerous reasons I don't want to use my phone, so that's not an option.

I'm looking at the higher end of the entry level units. Not looking to spend more than $300 Canadian. 

 

Used with:

Fiio F9 SE

Marshall Acton

 

These are the options I'm considering:

 

Fiio X3 Mark III

http://www.fiio.net/en/products/72

 

Hidizs AP60 II

http://www.hidizs.com/product_ap61ii.php

 

Cayin N3

http://en.cayin.cn/products_info?itemid=106

 

Sony NW-A35

https://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/nw-a30-series/buy/nwa35-b

 

Shanling M1

http://www.shanling.com/Product/Detail?id=fe144c3b8eca414f9b1e0cdf0a135b38

 

Shanling M2s
http://www.shanling.com/Product/Detail?id=2de2216f17334b2dbaa4377d95d65550

 

Most of them except the Sony get around 10 hours of battery life, which I'm not hugely worried about.

I know chances are kind of slim that anyone's tried a majority of these here, but you never know.

Thoughts? Ideas? Other options?

 

 

 

 

[vanished]

Wait, is this just an mp3 player?  If you're going over bluetooth anyway the "quality" of it does not matter in the slightest since it's all digital... I would recommend your phone, but if that's not appealing, well, I'm sure this can be done for less than  $300

[dizmo]

46 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

Wait, is this just an mp3 player?  If you're going over bluetooth anyway the "quality" of it does not matter in the slightest since it's all digital... I would recommend your phone, but if that's not appealing, well, I'm sure this can be done for less than  $300

Aye. I'm not going just over Bluetooth, it's just a feature that I will be using in addition to carrying it around. My current kit doesn't do Bluetooth. It'll be passed off to house guests on occasion and I have sensitive information on my phone so it can't be used. Plus you get much better sound out of a DAP.

[vanished]

Just now, dizmo said:

Aye. I'm not going just over Bluetooth, it's just a feature that I will be using in addition to carrying it around. My current kit doesn't do Bluetooth. It'll be passed off to house guests on occasion and I have sensitive information on my phone so it can't be used. Plus you get much better sound out of a DAP.

Ah, alright then.  Well, I'm not really "in" this space so I don't have any recommendations in particular but I wanted to make sure that was all clear

One thing I would say is consider getting a separate device you just plug into with 3.5 mm and it handles bluetooth, if you can't find bluetooth built into the DAP you want.

[dizmo]

3 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

Ah, alright then.  Well, I'm not really "in" this space so I don't have any recommendations in particular but I wanted to make sure that was all clear

One thing I would say is consider getting a separate device you just plug into with 3.5 mm and it handles bluetooth, if you can't find bluetooth built into the DAP you want.

I want a few other features that these players bring forward as well (expandable storage, better DACs). Plus anything plugged into my Nano would likely dwarf it

Most of the ones in the list are around $200, so not much money at all. Kind of tempted to spring for a higher end one but the value greatly diminishes for what I'd be using it for. Still sort of considering a 7th gen Nano but being stuck at 16GB isn't too appealing.

[Surv]

It's a toss up for me. Narrowed it down to the AP60 II, N3, and NW-A35. Leaning toward the NW-A35 at the moment, but not decided. Right now I'm looking for a good portable unit. Later on I think I'll get an AP200 has my main source unit.

[dizmo]

4 minutes ago, Surv said:

It's a toss up for me. Narrowed it down to the AP60 II, N3, and NW-A35. Leaning toward the NW-A35 at the moment, but not decided. Right now I'm looking for a good portable unit. Later on I think I'll get an AP200 has my main source unit.

Yeah those are the three I was leaning more towards as well. I like the battery life of the Sony, but the N3 is pretty tempting as well. I've had shit luck with Sony products.

 

The AP200 is super nice, but I'd have to go with the stainless steel model and that puts it a little high in the pricing.

 

What are you using right now?

 

Welcome to the forum

[Dackzy]

I am going to test a lot of DAPs in a months time, both some Shanling and Sony, plus some other ones. So I mean if you can wait and things go as they should then I will have a whole new segment to my post and probably make a thread with the ones I like. As of right now, then I would say Shanling or Sony

[xtroria]

Honestly you might as well just go with ipod 128gb. It's going to have better UI compared to the DAPs and the audio jack is also good

[Jdnoss1234]

I would say go with the Shanling M2s, but the Fiio is also really tempting with the 2.5mm balanced output for your F9s.

[dizmo]

4 hours ago, Dackzy said:

I am going to test a lot of DAPs in a months time, both some Shanling and Sony, plus some other ones. So I mean if you can wait and things go as they should then I will have a whole new segment to my post and probably make a thread with the ones I like. As of right now, then I would say Shanling or Sony

Oh really? That'll be an interesting read, are you going to be posting it in User Reviews? What other units are you going to test? I'll definitely keep an eye out for the thread. I'll be waiting, I've spent a bit on Christmas presents and my next bit of spare cash is going to a new suit.

2 hours ago, xtroria said:

Honestly you might as well just go with ipod 128gb. It's going to have better UI compared to the DAPs and the audio jack is also good

Thought about it, but it's pretty high on the price scale for something offering a much lower quality DAC. It also doesn't have nearly the storage amounts as the others costing half the amount. The UI is the best though, for sure. It's one product of Apple's I've never seen done better by someone else.

1 hour ago, Jdnoss1234 said:

I would say go with the Shanling M2s, but the Fiio is also really tempting with the 2.5mm balanced output for your F9s.

Yeah, I've seen really mixed reviews about the M2s, some saying it isn't any better than a smartphone. I like the Fiio, but apparently it doesn't sound much better than the M3 II at half the cost?

[Dackzy]

48 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Oh really? That'll be an interesting read, are you going to be posting it in User Reviews? What other units are you going to test? I'll definitely keep an eye out for the thread. I'll be waiting, I've spent a bit on Christmas presents and my next bit of spare cash is going to a new suit.

 

 

Probably and then also on some other websites. I have already started to prepare my pinned post to also have DAPs. I think it is about time I do this. 

 

I will have a Sony A35, Sony WM1A, shanling M3s and Onkyo DP-X1, all loaners Ofc (I can't afford to buy them all or even one of them right now). I will try and find Pioneer XDP 100R, cowon plenue d and a few others. So the price range is pretty wide.

[dizmo]

55 minutes ago, Dackzy said:

Probably and then also on some other websites. I have already started to prepare my pinned post to also have DAPs. I think it is about time I do this. 

 

I will have a Sony A35, Sony WM1A, shanling M3s and Onkyo DP-X1, all loaners Ofc (I can't afford to buy them all or even one of them right now). I will try and find Pioneer XDP 100R, cowon plenue d and a few others. So the price range is pretty wide.

Excellent!

It'll be interesting to see what the differences really are when you go up into the much higher end. Any chance you can track down an AK Jr? They can be had for pretty stellar prices. I loved the Plenue D except for the lack of Bluetooth and its apparently quite laggy interface.

[Dackzy]

5 minutes ago, dizmo said:

Excellent!

It'll be interesting to see what the differences really are when you go up into the much higher end. Any chance you can track down an AK Jr? They can be had for pretty stellar prices. I loved the Plenue D except for the lack of Bluetooth and its apparently quite laggy interface.

Maybe, but it is quite hard for me to do here, especially when I want to try and maybe loan for free. 

[Surv]

On 10/22/2017 at 11:44 PM, dizmo said:

Yeah those are the three I was leaning more towards as well. I like the battery life of the Sony, but the N3 is pretty tempting as well. I've had shit luck with Sony products.

 

The AP200 is super nice, but I'd have to go with the stainless steel model and that puts it a little high in the pricing.

 

What are you using right now?

 

Welcome to the forum

I've been trying to use the Sansa Clip+ but the first one died. So I bought a few more of them from eBay refurbished. Then the second one died. Didn't get much use out of either, but a lot of people swear by them. Now on my third, and I always have a lot of trouble with it. The computer doesn't detect it, or it takes forever to refresh media, so I try to Rockbox it, but then I still have problems with it. They have all been the same, very unreliable.  

 

I just want a somewhat small music player with a lot of memory, but it has to be reliable.

[dizmo]

1 hour ago, Surv said:

I've been trying to use the Sansa Clip+ but the first one died. So I bought a few more of them from eBay refurbished. Then the second one died. Didn't get much use out of either, but a lot of people swear by them. Now on my third, and I always have a lot of trouble with it. The computer doesn't detect it, or it takes forever to refresh media, so I try to Rockbox it, but then I still have problems with it. They have all been the same, very unreliable.  

 

I just want a somewhat small music player with a lot of memory, but it has to be reliable.

Ahh yeah, makes sense. The Pioneer XDP-30R is also a rather tempting option, it's on sale for $250. Oy. I didn't realize there was so much selections since the last time I looked.

[miguel_yarce]

On 22/10/2017 at 9:23 PM, dizmo said:

I'm currently looking at adding a new DAP to my collection, as the one I currently have doesn't have Bluetooth and I'll be getting a Bluetooth speaker soon.

For numerous reasons I don't want to use my phone, so that's not an option.

I'm looking at the higher end of the entry level units. Not looking to spend more than $300 Canadian. 

 

Used with:

Fiio F9 SE

Marshall Acton

 

These are the options I'm considering:

 

Fiio X3 Mark III

http://www.fiio.net/en/products/72

 

Hidizs AP60 II

http://www.hidizs.com/product_ap61ii.php

 

Cayin N3

http://en.cayin.cn/products_info?itemid=106

 

Sony NW-A35

https://www.sony.com/electronics/walkman/nw-a30-series/buy/nwa35-b

 

Shanling M1

http://www.shanling.com/Product/Detail?id=fe144c3b8eca414f9b1e0cdf0a135b38

 

Shanling M2s
http://www.shanling.com/Product/Detail?id=2de2216f17334b2dbaa4377d95d65550

 

Most of them except the Sony get around 10 hours of battery life, which I'm not hugely worried about.

I know chances are kind of slim that anyone's tried a majority of these here, but you never know.

Thoughts? Ideas? Other options?

 

 

 

 

Hi, I was in the same situation, and bought an A35 because the operation system is better than any other DAP in the price range. Im not considering the Ipod cause for me has a lack of DAC with good quality otherwise you can use your iphone with any difference in sound quality perspective. 

 

The sound is very plane when you switch off the Clear Audio+ with the A35, but if you want a funnier sound its possible to change a lot of options like Clear Audio +, an DSEE HX, VPT, and some special equalizer by genere or personalized. It is compatible with the LDAC sony system, Its very easy to transfer files, for me the battery is just ok. The only thing that I can be missing is a balanced output to connect it to an amplifier. 

 

Here in Mexico is very difficult to have a good warranty experience from China thats why I didnt choose Cayin, Fiio or Xduoo. 

 

Regards! Please let me know which one did you purchase. 

 

[dizmo]

On 4/23/2018 at 8:32 AM, miguel_yarce said:

Hi, I was in the same situation, and bought an A35 because the operation system is better than any other DAP in the price range. Im not considering the Ipod cause for me has a lack of DAC with good quality otherwise you can use your iphone with any difference in sound quality perspective. 

 

The sound is very plane when you switch off the Clear Audio+ with the A35, but if you want a funnier sound its possible to change a lot of options like Clear Audio +, an DSEE HX, VPT, and some special equalizer by genere or personalized. It is compatible with the LDAC sony system, Its very easy to transfer files, for me the battery is just ok. The only thing that I can be missing is a balanced output to connect it to an amplifier. 

 

Here in Mexico is very difficult to have a good warranty experience from China thats why I didnt choose Cayin, Fiio or Xduoo. 

 

Regards! Please let me know which one did you purchase. 

 

I actually waited a bit (indecision and such) and a Kickstarter came up for the Hiby R3... Which basically checks all my boxes, at a significantly lower price. I backed it as soon as it went live. You should check it out! 

 

As much as I'll miss the better battery life the Sony would likely offer, the proprietary connector really turned me off. I already have 3 different charging cables, I don't want a 4th.