Kiats
Headphoneus Supremus
Hey Kiats, I noticed in your signature that you have the AK240, Calyx M, DX100, HM901, TeraPlayer, and ZX1 so you have a pretty good perspective in this dap off. Which is your favorite that you typically reach for and which ones are collecting dust, and why? How does the Calyx M fit into that range in terms of SQ?
Well, firstly, I should say that I don't prescribe to the view that there is one DAP to rule them all. Each of the DAPs I have in my little collection brings a different thing to the table. I typically try to rotate them. But of course when I travel, its the AK240 that goes with me, primarily because it's convenient and small enough to be handy.
I can tell you two that I don't use as much: the DX100 and the AK100. The DX100 I still hang on to because it was the first audiophile DAP I picked up. It was wonderful for its time. However, it is biggish and has that terrible pop when it wakes up or when powered on which makes it painful for IEMs. The AK100 is still a wonderful little player with a nice raw sound and great clarity.
The AK240 as I said is very convenient on the go. Sonic wise, it has a nice and fairly neutral signature. The best output from it is via the balanced output - this is where it comes into its own - wide and deep soundstage is possible with the right IEMs. And the details you can get is quite stunning.
The HM901 is very flexible because you can change amplifier cards to suit your tastes. I have all the official amp cards as well as the Angel and discrete cards. Frankly, SQ wise, the HM901 still takes the cake. The only inconvenience is the proprietary charging system which militates against taking it on the plane or on long trips on the road.
The Calyx M I fell in love with because of its lush sound signature. This is a little larger than the others. However, the fact that it takes USB charging helps make its case when I'm on the road. The latest FW 1.0 has done something quite subtle: it has deepened the soundstage and improved layering while widening the sound stage. The Calyx comes very closely behind the 901 and the AK240.
The HM801 (and HM802 for that matter) have very organic signatures - very musical even if not the most transparent or resolving around. It is simply to enjoy the music. The HM801 is wonderful for vocals. For that I will forgive the fact that it can only read up to 32GB SD cards.
The ZX1 has great synergy with Fitear customs: it may not the best SQ around but it is sheer musical exuberance and joy. This one is useful for me because Sony has a great implementation of the DLNA protocol and therefore I can stream music from my NAS all over the house.
The Tera Player is the one player which I can just bring along on a trip. It is small and compact. Battery life in quite incredible in this day and age. It takes USB charging. And the musical signature is quite stunning. It only takes WAV files and only plays up to 16 bits but who cares when it sounds so organic. Some people have suggested that it almost sounds like vinyl. It has been a while since I listened to vinyls but I understand what they mean. It is not the most resolving or detailed but it is one which is easy to love. It has no display but if you just load in all your favourite albums or compilations inside, does it really matter? This player is really very much back to basics - it's all about the music. Just the music.
The ARM1 is another little player which is puzzling because it only has 32GB onboard and doesn't have any expansion slots. And it plays only up to 16 bits. However, it is sounds wonderful. Clear, detailed and organic. In terms of sound, the Tera is still ahead but it is close. Ah.. and remember this one has a Class A amplifier in that small package - so it drives my Ref 1 and 1Plus2 very well with really stunning results.
Last, but not least, is the HM650. I've only had it a week or so. However, it seems close to the 802 signature save that it is more mid-centric. More like the old HM6xx series. I can tell you that because I actually have the HM603 Slim. This player is really for mid-centric music like vocals. While it will play other music very competently, it doesn't have as much dynamic range as the 802.
Hmm... I hope that helps. Please note that, at the end of the day, there is no one universal truth. Music doesn't exist in a vacuum but is a function of what we want and the circumstances in which we listen to it.