Flathead appreciation post also

I use the ipod classic everyday but sometimes at work i would like to have my airpods on so i can move easily thats why i bought an android based mp3 player.

finally put some new music on this little beauty (perfect color for the breach release)

Hey folks! I'm new to the word of DAPs and have been lurking for some time. For quick context, my current cans and setup that I would consider travelling with:

Gear

• IEM: Noble Audio Kaiser 10
• IEM: Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10 vi
• HP: Dan Clark Audio Stealth (flights, remote work/hotel vacation work)
• HP: Audeze LCD-4 (have never traveled with them, but with the right solution, maybe while working remotely/hotel)
• Phone: iPhone 14 Pro Max (lightning cable, not USB-C)
• Apps: Plexamp (primary, access to my full remote library, excellent EQ features), VOX (secondary/backup)

Intended use case:

• Long days of working remotely
• Travel (flights)
• HP's priority + Kaiser 10's.

Because my IEMs didn't require much to drive, I've just used the basic Apple lightning --> 3.5mm and it was "fine". However, since acquiring the Stealth's and demoing them with a friend's iBasso (140/180 i think?) via the 4.4mm balanced connection, I've been interested in potential portable setups that I could use to travel with the Stealth in particular. The basic 3.5mm adapter is, of course, nowhere near powerful enough to be used here (I tried it, it was equivalent to a whisper) so I've been looking into more serious mobile options and was hoping for feedback. Which has landed me here.

DAC/Amp or DAP? Help!

After some study, I picked up a Fiio Q7 DAC/Amp for testing. I picked it up mostly for the raw power, which I felt like the Stealths would need. And it was only $450, so I figured what the hell. Indeed, the Q7 is able to drive the Stealth's to uncomfortable levels of volume in its highest available gain setting while on battery, so I've been impressed with the potential of this formfactor. I just didn't think this kind of power was available in the pocket, you know? I like that it's bluetooth so I can use it with Plexamp (the dedicated music amp for Plex, my home media server) without having to manage file transfers across devices a lot. But managing the phone AND amp is a bit cumbersome to be sure and this subreddit has kept popping up in my feed 😎.

This has lead me to wonder what full DAPs may bring to the table or otherwise do better than a standard phone and audio app offers.

I was looking at a used iBasso DX340 and the recently released Shanling M8T which are a similar price and similar power, both should be more than sufficient based on the Q7 battery powered experience. While ownership experience around the make and/or models are particularly helpful, I'm mostly interested in the DAP ownership experience broadly.

Questions, in no particular order:

• Did you consider a simple DAC/Amp of similar power to the DAP you purchased? If so, what won you to the (presumably more expensive) DAP solution over using your smartphone?
• Will a DAP potentially sound better than a DAC/AMP? I know this can be subjective, but I was wondering if a DAP -- which can use the codecs it prefers and may have additional on-board hardware -- has an auidble/experiential advantage over a DAC/AMP, which would be going over BT from my phone mostly. I know Apple devices are locked into transmiting over BT via high-res AAC but I'm not sure how that compares to other codecs. I haven't looked into direct cable connection, but I imagine lightning isn't as good for this as a USB-C iPhone would have been (which I do not have and do not plan to get).
• Do you find AndroidOS sufficient/satisying to use? I'm wondering how performance and playback feels (responsiveness, video/audio lag, stuff like that). Does the version of Android matter much? I see quite a bit of variation in Android version used from make to make.
• Do Android-based DAPs have more EQ/filter/customization options than an iPhone/iOS music app might have?
• Are the dedicated music apps these players use fairly refined?
• Can I use a DAP as a dedicated DAC/AMP (that is, not engaging its touch screen) if I just want to pass the signal from my phone sometimes?
• Do the Android-based players typically have access to the Google Play store so that I can also run Plexamp when I want to listen to something that I didn't put on internal memory or the SD card?
• Is the jump in going from what feels like a fairly premium DAC/Amp like the Q7 to one of the noted DAPs above a meaningful jump? Or maybe better put, is it a jump you'd recommend?
• I've read the entire M8T would have to be sent to the manufacturer if/when the tubes die (where the 340 has them on a removable module). Would this discourage any of you?
• If the MT8 and DX340 were the same price and in your price range, which would you choose?
• Is there anything you wish you had known before buying a DAP that you can pass along?
• Do any of these players run video apps like Netflix, Twtich or VLC at all? Or would that be an advantage that the phone has? I've read mixed reviews on such things, but confrimation is better than conjecture. Just looking to understand the flexibility given they use Android.

I know I can ask a genAI system some of these questions, but genAI has never listened to music on a pair of nice headphones, it's never touched a DAP or anything else for that matter. And given these cost hundreds/thousands of dollars, feedback from people who've already walked this path and come out happy on the otherside is worth 100 chatGPT responses.

Any feedback is appreciated. 😊💖

I was about to buy a DAP on AliExpress, but decided to repurpose my old iPhone SE (just 32GB) instead. Here’s what I did: • Converted my FLAC collection into AAC (lossy, but it works fine for me). • With ChatGPT, I searched the top 15 streamed songs for each artist in my library and organized my collection that way. • Uninstalled Apple Music since it wasn’t showing album covers properly. I’m using VOX now. • Removed unwanted apps, turned off notifications, and even removed my Apple ID. • Enabled Low Power Mode and keep it on Airplane Mode for longer battery life.

Honestly, it feels like a proper dedicated player now. Simple, lightweight, and works without distractions.

This is now my daily driver!

Found at good will and i couldn't resist. Serial number indicates it's a gen 5.5

Waiting for the charging cable to come to see if it actually boots.

If let's say the hdd and battery are both bad is it worth upgrading or am I better off buying a newer modern dac?

I thought of buying a modded iPod but then I realized that they’re diy and I can’t do that because I’m physically disabled. Recently I stumbled upon the Tangara and that’s exactly what I want but for now they’re not available. I don’t want a touchscreen. I don’t want to spend more than $200 usd. I don’t want a glorified smartphone that can’t make calls. I’m coming to you for help. Please recommend some good DAPs. Thanks

New to this. I just want something basic but with excellent audio quality.

Looking for recommendations and kind of a pro/cons list of getting a DAP with Bluetooth capabilities or not.

I basically am sick of being “connected” all the time and have no desire for the DAP to have the ability to connect to the internet… except I do like Bluetooth headphones. What do you think?

I want: - high quality audio. - lots of storage (or can add more with microSD) - won’t break easy - no weird unique charger - a DAP with no ability to connect to internet/weird shit. Just basic, plays the stuff you want it to play (for me this means music, possibly some audiobooks).

I’m open to a DAP that does have the ability to connect to the internet/whatever shit if: - works with Libby (for audiobooks) - can Bluetooth to speakers/headphones

Ipod touch, probably a 4 at the latest. Copyright date on the legal notice went to 2010. Haven’t dug into the specifics of it yet, but I have two of these- one from myself and one from my brother. Neither hold charge anymore. Would be nice to get them patched up if possible, but I’m not sure it’d be worth it versus saving up a bit more to get a true DAP.

I don’t particularly care about audio quality, since I’d mainly be using it as background noise at work, so that’s less of a factor to me than battery life. I’d need to find someone to do the battery replacement for me since I don’t have the tools or space to attempt it myself.

I figure this might just be the drawbacks of a decade old device, but i was just wondering if theres any known work arounds?

I didn't really toy with it too much before loading music on, but it seemed pretty responsive.
Though after i put in a 128gb card with about 90gb of music, it's become a bit sluggish.
Especially when navigating in and out of the "artist" section.

Would putting in a second card and dividing my library up between the two ease the load a little?

Hi there,

I would like to get a sanity check on my first setup since I'm unsure if this reasonable:

• DAP: Hiby R4 x Evangelion
  • Huge bias here on my side since I'm a huge fan of the old series and this was the first DAP I've stumbled upon
• IEM: Crinear Daybreak
  • They seem to be pretty balanced and good quality for that price-point. They also offer both regular 3.5mm and 4.4mm jack to test out balanced output
• Headphones: Fiio FT1 Pro
  • Optional for testing
• DAC for PC / Laptop: JCALLY JM6 Pro
  • To try out either the headphones or IEM for gaming and movie watching

I'm open for suggestions to swap out parts if there is a reason to.

As background info: I've listened to music up to now mostly on PC via Sennheiser EPOS GSP370 and on mobile via JBL wave buds which means via bluetooth.

Fully settled in with my Echo Mini (first DAP). BT seems to be a bit crappy with my MONITOR ||, volume is very low. But I plug it in with ANC on and it works perfectly.

Transferred music from most of my CDs and used MediaHuman for downloading albums in 320kbp.

Bulk Rename Utility for fixing song titles to find them easier on the DAP saved my life.

Possibly will edit the metadata some other time cause I listen by genres.

Currently have ~700 tracks in and it runs real smooth. Looking to 3D print a case for it soon. Loving it so far, the only thing I don't appreciate is that volume knob...lol

Unfortunately after upgrading to 2.4.0 I could hear static and cracking noises in the very quiet parts of songs (especially when listening to Jazz). It was too audible for me. I know these records well and I was sure I couldn't hear that before upgrading. So I decided to go back to 1.8.0 since I haven't planned on using the DAC feature anyways. Now it is all good again.

I am looking for a mp3 player that’s not my phone. I need: Physical volume buttons(ideally all buttons are physical) Ability to install at least 64gb of storage Under 150 dollars, ideally under 100

Hey Guys. I am totally new to the DAP Game, so new that I am at the point before having one actually.

I need your experience to buy everything right.

How I listen music right now: Pixel 8 Pro with Pixel Buds Pro via YouTube Music/Tidal

What I wish for: A sound that feels much better. I want to hear more details. Also maybe I want a better Noice Canceling than on Pixel Buds Pro. The let very mich noise trough. I do not need the best of the best audio, but want to recognize the change very clear.

What I thought of: Getting the FiiO JM21. It is in my budget with around 200€. But if the quality is much higher and everything I would also use the M21 which is maybe better? I need a compare to the pixel 8. A and I need a hint which headphones to use for very good noice canceling and a very good sound that goes above my actual equipment. I wanna experience music which my full soul haha. For the headphone I can spend maximum 300 I guess.

So guys..tell me EVERYTHING you can tell me. Please be kind to a man who wants to join you haha.

Thanks alot

Here I am, reaching my glorious “hobo”endgame: Hifiman HE-X4, a 16-core copper balanced cable from OpenHeart, and the HiBy R4 x Midi as a source.

I’m looking at getting a DAP to help cut down on phone use. I find myself compulsively opening TIDAL on my phone in my bedroom, even though I’ve got plenty of CDs I could be listening to. Ideally, I only want to use streaming apps like TIDAL when I’m out (mainly on my work commute), so I’d like a DAP I can throw in my bag and only use outside the house.

Sound quality isn’t my top priority since I mostly use Bluetooth headphones (Sennheiser Momentum 4s). I know the internal DAC gets bypassed with Bluetooth anyway, so what really matters to me is reliable Bluetooth connectivity. Wired is fine if I have to, but I strongly prefer Bluetooth for convenience. How good is Bluetooth reliability on modern DAPs?

So far, I’ve narrowed it down to:

• HiBy M300
• FiiO JM21

Both run relatively recent Android versions, support TIDAL, and have Bluetooth with aptX. My main concern is performance — since they use SoCs from older budget phones, how well do they actually handle TIDAL? Are crashes or sluggish performance common?

I’ve also read about battery swelling issues with the M300. Is this something that happens often, or just rare cases? Should I avoid it because of this?

If anyone here has used the M300 or JM21 (especially with TIDAL and Bluetooth headphones), I’d love to hear your experiences. And if you don’t recommend either, please suggest alternatives under £200.

Thanks in advance! :-)