[Jerda]

Hello world.
Reading headfi since 2 months, I should thank the lg v30 that let me know more of this high quality audio planet: I noticed some months ago that listening spotify with my headphones doesn't engage me anymore so I ve started to listen less music, when I had read bout lg dac and high quality audio phone I started to search more about it and here I am
Now I've lost myself in the choice of the setup: let's make it clear, I have a ~450€ budget for a dap or an external dac/amp and I've also joined the he4xx drop 'cause he400i for 160€ seemed the best bang for the bucks.
The initial idea was to buy the lg V30 as phone and use it as music source too but, seeing first the Fiio Q5 thread and after that the daps threads I've started asking myself: it is right to spend so much for a phone with good audio capability when I just could spend money for a dap or an external amp/dac that could sound better? Let me know what you think.
Btw in the meantime I was looking to Q5 dac/amp ( it is delayed from ever.. ) and Dap threads, right now I am looking to the A&K 70 but I think it will cost too much for my budget and that if now is coming out the a&k70 mk2 maybe there are competitive alternatives...
Note: I will listen music from Tidal, best files are MQA so if I wil have hardware MQA enabled I will get 24/196 while I will get 24/96 if I will not have MQA hardware... just to say, I am newbie so I don't know the difference.
Waiting impatiently your answers

 

[Music Alchemist]

Your best option, in my opinion, would be the Chord Mojo.

 

[Jerda]

Uff, your answer was unattended and has punched me like a rock.
Seriously I was not thinking about the mojo, why I should instead some daps or alternatives? I don't like it lol

 

[FumblingFoo]

The only players I've come across in the search results that support MQA are the Pioneer XDP-100R and the Onkyo DP-X1. I don't think the Mojo supports MQA.https://www.whathifi.com/news/pioneer-xdp-100r-worlds-first-mqa-ready-hi-res-music-player

 

[buke9]

Have yet to hear MQA so don't know if it better. None of my equipment will do MQA. As mentioned above those will do MQA and they are both the same player one of them makes the other or so I've read. I really liked the DP-X1 that I heard a year and a half ago or so and it does streaming from Tidal and from everywhere else that has a app I guess don't know as I don't have one but it does sound very good and also has balanced output if needed. I have not A/B them but I'm pretty sure the Mojo will match up and even surpass it in sound quality. I could be wrong on this but I think the Mojo matches up well with a lot of gear at much higher prices.

 

[Jerda]

Mojo I hate you so much

 

[cossix]

Mojo I hate you so much

Haha why? It does look a bit weird but it's solidly built and it can compete with more expensive gear

 

[Jerda]

Various reason:
-when I see the mojo and since when has appeared to the market I just think that the mojo 2 is near. Thinked the same of the magni 2 when I ve started to think if buy one to use as desk amp, now magni 3 is out.
-so many possibilities, so many threads, and "take a mojo" hit me like a stone
-got a 16gb iPhone 6, I am struggling to find 1.8Gb to install iOS 11.... source with 700mb free to use not expandable? Mmmm seems a problem.
-boh idk, make more sense to me just buy a dragonfly red instead , idk why

 

[Currawong]

You don't need MQA support. The reason MQA files "sound better" is because they've altered them. The marketing is deliberately confusing to make you think that you need the high-res unfolding as well, which you don't. I recommend focussing on something that meets your needs.

 

[Jerda]

Thanks Currawong, now I understand that better.
About mojo: I read that it gets a lot of noise and interference from phone so I'm still thinking about some dap

 

[Oscar-HiFi]

Well this is just over your budget, but it's an excellent player

https://www.audiophonics.fr/fr/dap-...98-x2-24bit192khz-dsd-symetrique-p-10581.html

 

[Jerda]

Nah if I could go overbudget I would buy the dx200 plus an amp module or the A&K 70 mk2.
Seriously about the mojo: it gets interference and noise from the phone?

 

[Oscar-HiFi]

If you want a nice simple DAP that supports streaming (and MQA) - Pioneer XDP-30R

https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/High-Resolution+Audio/XDP-30R-B

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Now I've lost myself in the choice of the setup: let's make it clear, I have a ~450€ budget for a dap or an external dac/amp and I've also joined the he4xx drop 'cause he400i for 160€ seemed the best bang for the bucks.
The initial idea was to buy the lg V30 as phone and use it as music source too but, seeing first the Fiio Q5 thread and after that the daps threads I've started asking myself: it is right to spend so much for a phone with good audio capability when I just could spend money for a dap or an external amp/dac that could sound better? Let me know what you think.
Btw in the meantime I was looking to Q5 dac/amp ( it is delayed from ever.. ) and Dap threads, right now I am looking to the A&K 70 but I think it will cost too much for my budget and that if now is coming out the a&k70 mk2 maybe there are competitive alternatives...
Note: I will listen music from Tidal, best files are MQA so if I wil have hardware MQA enabled I will get 24/196 while I will get 24/96 if I will not have MQA hardware... just to say, I am newbie so I don't know the difference.
Waiting impatiently your answers

You can't take the HE500 to listen while walking around anyway. Skip the DAP or even the V30 (unless you need it for something else, like if you have an old and slow smartphone) and get a desktop DAC-HPamp.

Something like the AudioGD NFB-11. Or save up and get an ODAC and a Meier Jazz FF.

 

[Jerda]

I ve contacted audioGD cause I share pc with some friends ( I don't use games or work with it so I am enough with smartphone and an old tablet ) so android would be my source and nfb11 ( or r2r11 ) don't support android (only the older ones that I don't have like the 5)
About lg V30: I got an iPhone 6 still working enough well so I would have to pay the double of the price that the lg v30 will have in 4/5month ahead while having less SQ than a dap or a mojo. Nope
Btw I'm thinking about a dap because either if I don't listen cans on the go I use cans in different places ( sofa, bed, another apartments etc.).
The dream would be finding someone selling an A&K70mk2 before January priced ~500$ but I don't think so... btw I'm seeing DP-X1 new priced 450$ so I could find one used, what do you think ?
EDIT: btw as I've said, I have time until january so I will keep watching price drop and some used devices.
I am looking Shanling m3s now but I will watch what you've suggested cause either if the opus or others are priced above my budget i could find someone selling them under my price point