[nc8000]

Mm...oh I agree, sound is very important but since the ranking also took into consideration usage which I took to mean as utility (just how useful the devices are), I opined my disagreement. Also, you do realize that the A&K ecosystem of products is way superior to Sony’s. That should account for something.

My point is the A&K players are already excellent (and apparently are superior to the WM1Z) but it could do much more than the best of Sony.

I don’t know what you mean by eco system but at any rate I don’t think that the score of a given product should include what other products the manufacturer has. So the score of the Sony player should include Sony’s tv sets, computers, phones abs so on ?

At any rate these players are one box solutions so no eco system is really needed.

And I don’t doubt that the AK players are excelent, it’s just that my needs and requirements are filled better by the Sony players than by anything else on the market today

 

[liquidrats]

Lol. Not the best to ask since I don't own the others you've mentioned.

I can do a comparison with an X7 but that might take a while with my schedule. I prefer it over the Shanling m5. I've been using my Opus #1 even less with my Oriolus v2 since owning the dp100 for the last couple of months. I find the dp100 a lot more forgiving with most recordings.

ok thanks I'll audition dp100 tonight.

 

[1TrickPony]

ok thanks I'll audition dp100 tonight.

Bring an amp too if you have. It stacks rather well.

 

[Virtu Fortuna]

Which amp did you use for Dx200?

AMP1

Soooo....this is all based on YOUR own hearing?

Yes

Mm...I disagree with the ranking of the Sony WM1Z. It should be lower because: it does not support usb audio and it does not support Tidal or Qubuz streaming service. Under usage, it should be 7, not 10. At the top end of the market, a rich feature set is important. For the asking price of usd 2700.00, it is a given that you have to make the DAP as useful as possible specially when its much lower priced rivals are more feature-rich. It is 2018 already. Sony ignored Tidal and Qubuz. That is unforgivable in my book.

Re: based on my 1 hour side-by-side audition, using the Fourte and PWAudio 4 wire 1960s cable, I agree that the SP1000cu (more musical) just edges out the SS version (more analytical) and both are significantly superior to my Ak380cu in the sound department. It was an easy audition..

Hi. I don't give scores based on the feature set. The most important thing is the sound quality I hear. Yes, some lower priced DAPs have Android OS so they have streaming, but they're not anywhere near the WM1Z for pure sound. And Sony developed the 1Z for the most demanding audiophiles in mind. For that purpose, they delivered a fantastic player.

Streaming has been a widely discussed topic in this forum and that topic mostly drags the threads out of their purpose. This chart is not a "which one has streaming" or "which streams better" chart, I give my points to sound, and overall software quality and portability after that.

If you've checked it, the new Lotoo Paw Gold Touch doesn't have streaming as well. The only goal of that player, like the WM1Z, is the high end sound quality.

This is helpful. I think there is a similar thread for IEMs and while I don't always agree I get some good ideas from that.

I tend to live in the bottom third of the group, and within two or three spots I would agree on the general ranking.

I have the sneaking suspicion that the HiBy R3 is going to give the price value equation a severe kneecapping when it comes out as it will likely place ahead of the Shanling M3S.

The Shanling M0 based on various reports will also upset the apple cart.

That's the idea. You can't agree on every score, but you can get some ideas and comparisons from it. That's why I put this effort and shared it.

 

[Virtu Fortuna]

Any idea if you will look at Oriolus DP100 into this list? The DAP is not readily everywhere tho..

That DAP is very hard to get. Highly unlikely.

 

[musicday]

You need to add the Tera Player, but I don't think you have heard it so this is impossible, right?

 

[Virtu Fortuna]

You need to add the Tera Player, but I don't think you have heard it so this is impossible, right?

Yes. Never heard it. I wonder if Tahsin still has it but even he does, I doubt that he will send it to me just for the chart.

 

[notsimar]

surprised that the AK Kaan isn't on the list..

 

[Virtu Fortuna]

surprised that the AK Kaan isn't on the list..

I listened to that one a short time and it wasn't enough to make a conclusion.

 

[maira]

Im missing "battery life" as a category. This and SQ is what interests me the most... .

 

[nc8000]

Im missing "battery life" as a category. This and SQ is what interests me the most... .

Well if battery life is in any way important the Sony players are what you need to look into. 20-30 hours (or more depending on usage) per charge

 

[maira]

the Sony players are what you need to look into.

I think they do not sound that good... .

 

[nc8000]

I think they do not sound that good... .

Fair enough. To me the 1Z is the best I’ve heard and the battery life is as far as I know unrivalled by anything else

 

[Raketen]

I think they do not sound that good... .

If you dislike Sony, Cowon touts good battery life for some of their DAPs (though maybe not the higher price ones so much ). I wish more quality DAP makers had at least one model that favored efficiency over power.

 

[Virtu Fortuna]

Sound character column added.