[gerelmx1986]

well lets get back on track rate your DAPs fro best to worst

 

[Zuvio]

  Yes you can switch it off in the settings menu > music settings or in the music playback screen one quick press on the OPTION/PWR OFF button opens a menu, you'll see a DSEE (HX) option: select OFF and OK, and you're done.
 
For the fiio x5II i cannot comment as i don't own one

 but the fiio x3 I had i found it to be super warm thing giving a werid stage and spearation issues
 
I found the DSEE HX on my walkman to add an artifical sound, like artifical widening, reverb so i turned it off

 
 
This is a problem. What you said about the X3 2nd gen, i found the exact same thing. Warm weirdly so, wierd soundstage, and separation issues like What a bit perplexing. Oh well, looks like if i want the FiiO X7 i'll need to sell my X3 2nd gen.
 
But then the Sony with artificial sound and widening etc, just too much tampering by Sony engineers who think they know what is what. They underestimate Western enthusiasts almost like taking us for fools or assuming that we're all mid thirties dumb females with no clue just wanting to hear a splash of sound 

 

[Zuvio]

  Since you are making your own thread go off topic 

....The reason Apple uses $3 DAC chips is because with the quantities Apple buys, they can get them that low.  It is not saying they are poor quality.

 
Thaaat's true, but still, $5 more dollars and they could give us the ducks nuts if you get my gist. Bottom line... they should all just give us the new ESS Sabre and be done with it, then they would just need to focus on implementation of the output stage and we'd be rocking. Almost seems deliberate that they deny us so willingly to save $1 LOL

 

[headwhacker]

   
 
This is a problem. What you said about the X3 2nd gen, i found the exact same thing. Warm weirdly so, wierd soundstage, and separation issues like What a bit perplexing. Oh well, looks like if i want the FiiO X7 i'll need to sell my X3 2nd gen.
 
But then the Sony with artificial sound and widening etc, just too much tampering by Sony engineers who think they know what is what. They underestimate Western enthusiasts almost like taking us for fools or assuming that we're all mid thirties dumb females with no clue just wanting to hear a splash of sound 

 
Same observation here when I compared X3ii with Sony NWZ-A15 using T51p headphone. Turn off all sound fx settings on a walkman and you will actually get the best sound out of it. Very clear, detailed sound with a wider, deeper stage and better layering than the Fiio X3ii, which sounded a boomy, blurry and congested.

 

[headwhacker]

Here's my DAP journey thus far.
 
DX50/UHA-6SMKII -> DX90 -> X5 -> AK Jr -> HDP-R10 -> NWZ-A15/Chord Mojo ( could be AK100MK2/Mojo).
 
I'm happy with R10 (still have it), except the battery life and FW is just unwieldy and doesn't sound as good driving full size headphone. The A15/Mojo, albeit a stack seems like a better compromise to achive good FW, good enough battery life (A15 alone with on ear phones) and has enough power to drive full size cans.

 

[Zuvio]

   
Same observation here when I compared X3ii with Sony NWZ-A15 using T51p headphone. Turn off all sound fx settings on a walkman and you will actually get the best sound out of it. Very clear, detailed sound with a wider, deeper stage and better layering than the Fiio X3ii, which sounded a boomy, blurry and congested.

 
I'll keep that in mind. Thankyou. Makes things easier for me. Thus Sony walkmans can now become a serious consideration for me. I'll go to the Sony store tomorrow and do some tests FiiO X3 2nd gen vs the Sony. If i hear a notable difference where the Sony has better clarity, detail and coherency, then i'm in. After that i'll wait till i can afford the FiiO X7 if the consensus is that it beats the Astell&Kern 120 mkII.

 

[headwhacker]

   
I'll keep that in mind. Thankyou. Makes things easier for me. Thus Sony walkmans can now become a serious consideration for me. I'll go to the Sony store tomorrow and do some tests FiiO X3 2nd gen vs the Sony. If i hear a notable difference where the Sony has better clarity, detail and coherency, then i'm in. After that i'll wait till i can afford the FiiO X7 if the consensus is that it beats the Astell&Kern 120 mkII.

 
Make sure when you try out the walkmans that you have all the sound FX turned off. Otherwise, it may sound off.

 

[1TrickPony]

I'm sure surprised the amount of Sony users backing their claim over the fiio daps. Does Sony daps have a l/o option?

I also wanted to know if you Sony owners prefer playing your mp3 files without any added fx... TIA

 

[castleofargh]

I'm sure surprised the amount of Sony users backing their claim over the fiio daps. Does Sony daps have a l/o option?

I also wanted to know if you Sony owners prefer playing your mp3 files without any added fx... TIA

it always depends on what you're looking for. the FIIOs have lower impedance and for the most part, better measurements than the sony counterparts. they also clearly have more power than any sony. so depending on the headphone's needs, sony can sometimes be a bad choice as far as sound fidelity is concerned. but the changes on sony might be preferred by the listener. who knows when it comes to taste?
now subjectively, sony has a good reputation, a much better UI, so it's not too hard to feel like music is more enjoyable on a sony. I know that I personally feel that way. but saying that the audio is better, nope.

 

[gerelmx1986]

LOL stay ON TOPIC

 

[1TrickPony]

 
it always depends on what you're looking for. the FIIOs have lower impedance and for the most part, better measurements than the sony counterparts. they also clearly have more power than any sony. so depending on the headphone's needs, sony can sometimes be a bad choice as far as sound fidelity is concerned. but the changes on sony might be preferred by the listener. who knows when it comes to taste?
now subjectively, sony has a good reputation, a much better UI, so it's not too hard to feel like music is more enjoyable on a sony. I know that I personally feel that way. but saying that the audio is better, nope.

 
I'm relatively new into this head-fi world. I got introduced to the world of iems via Monster Turbine Pros and the Trumpets (which I LOVED). I can hear nuances that differs between 320 mp3s and APE files (via laptop+MediaMonkey). I'm quite reluctant when it comes to DAPs providing a good EQ, so I bought an introductory one (the Ihifi 770).
 
So far, I'm loving the 770 + Alo rx + Dn2000 combo. I wasn't sure what a good transparent amp can do up until the Rx, now I'm just curious as to how DAPs (or a well implemented DAC) can add to the whole experience. I can pretty much understand as to how some would prefer Fiio for their practicality and Sony for their UI, but yeah the sound is as important if not more. I'm really happy with my setup, but curious if DAP/DACs can really scale up the SQ (the 770 has the wolfson 8740) 

 

[1TrickPony]

  LOL stay ON TOPIC

I'm the one at fault, not Mr.ARGH (lol). It is relevant to ask such questions, because I'm curious what others have to say about their DAP collection.

 

[gerelmx1986]

 

  LOL stay ON TOPIC

I'm the one at fault, not Mr.ARGH (lol). It is relevant to ask such questions, because I'm curious what others have to say about their DAP collection.

just rate the best dap acording to your ears from 1 BEST to Nth (worst)

 

[myemaildw]

cayin n5>df red dac>zuperdac>cozoy aegis dac>ak10 dac> everything else is rubbish
fiio x7 is better than cayin n5 but I only used it in store on he400 and I don't have that hp to use with cayin n5

 

[gerelmx1986]

UPDATE
 
1)Sony NW-WM1A
2)Sony NW-ZX100
3)Sony NWZ-A17 + Oppo HA-2 (amp only via LOD)
4)Sony NWZ-X1060
5)Sony NWZ-A818
6)Sony NWZ-A17 (Headphones out)
7)FiiO X3 first gen
8)Sony NW-E507
9)iPod classic 2009 160GB