Portable iDevice DAC sub-$200

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kojaku 

Dear Industry,
I am a budget-conscious student audiophile. If any of you decide to make a sub-200 iDevice DAC, we here at head-fi would (if it were any good) buy the **** out of it.
Make it happen.
All the best,
Kojaku

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But seriously. Am I the only person waiting on this ?
Kojaku

I suspect given the licensing and that the target market is obviously going to be people on HF etc, every iOS digital transport/DAC is going to be as expensive as they think they can get away with. I'm a big Apple fan but am hoping that eventually USB on the go is enabled for digital audio with Android devices, in which case you could probably get a similar sort of set up with PMP/portable USB DAC/amp for a fair bit cheaper.

Well, presuming ICS for Android eventually unlocks USB DAC functionality and people on XDA get rooting (because we want this on a cheapish PMP/phone that can just be used for music), something like the Fiio E17 that's supposed to be coming out early next year should't break the bank and fit the bill.

The Hifiman players getting Rockbox also interests me, although battery life is still a concern. Same for Teclast with the T59. I loved the sound of the T51 but wasn't impressed with the UI and read a lot of horror stories about others failing. Can't win!

Yes, you are. Others are buying HiFiMans 
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kojaku 
But seriously. Am I the only person waiting on this ?
Kojaku

I am considering getting a 602 once Rockbox is more stable, then if I like it, upgrading to whatever succeeds the 801. Certainly that is a better value for money proposition, and with Rockbox there's the opportunity for gapless etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kojaku 

If I add the cost of an algorhythm solo, that's still only like 60 bucks more than an 801...

... which is much better I believe. I yet to hear Solo but I heard many Wolfsons implementations and no one could competed to HM-801 IMHO. I suggest you to compare with HM-60x.

A more affordable idevice DAC as well as an ipod that has a larger storage capacity.  

I think the main problem is licensing from apple.  I remember reading somewhere (i think in the x3 thread)(in the e11 thread) where Feiao (fiio) was asked about doing a cheaper version of the CLAS and he said that they tried to get the license to do a clas competitor but Apple refused to grant the license to a Chinese company (based presumably on China's reputation for disregarding intellectual property rights).  To be honest, I don't think a $200 idevice dac will ever happen.  

I just wish Apple would make, bypassing the internal DAC, more accessible all around.  I guess they definitely know how to squeeze every dollar out of their products.

Does the iStreamer not foot the bill? Although it's transportable rather than actually portable but you could rig up a power supply from Energizer if need be.