Absolute Best DAP <$500 - used or new

[jayohhvee]

Okay, I realize this question is very subjective.  
 
My current set up is an x3ii and the sm64. 
 
I would prefer to purchase a player that supports android for the sake of having spotify, or tidal simply because I can not find everything I listen to in lossless quality.
 
With that being said I realize that andriod takes up a lot of resources, and some people would consider players like the zx1  etc to be indecent.
 
I am basically still a noob and do not want to waste my money.  I am looking to make the absolute best purchase I can make in terms of SQ with a $500 max.  I would prefer to have one that I can use spotify on but it is not a deal breaker.  

 

[PinkyPowers]

I bet your parents made a habit of commenting on how unreasonable you were. That's an awful lot to expect for under $500.

With those features, the cheapest, and one of the best, is the FiiO X7.

 

[jayohhvee]

I bet your parents made a habit of commenting on how unreasonable you were. That's an awful lot to expect for under $500.

With those features, the cheapest, and one of the best, is the FiiO X7.

I appreciate the suggestion. And yes the more I look into it it seems that I'm going to have to shell out $6-800 to get what I want . I am now considering the x7, ak100ii, or an onkyo dp-x1.

Would appreciate anymore recommendations that are on par with the three listed above.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Those three are great choices. Research them further and decide which one looks best to you. Sound-wise, they are all amazing. You can't really go wrong with either.

 

[Monsterzero]

Quote:Originally Posted by jayohhvee /img/forum/go_quote.gif

  I would prefer to purchase a player that supports android for the sake of having spotify, or tidal simply because I can not find everything I listen to in lossless quality.
 

Out of curiosity,what do you listen to that you cannot find in lossless?

I have a fairly diverse taste in music and there is very little I cannot find in lossless

 

[jayohhvee]

Out of curiosity,what do you listen to that you cannot find in lossless?


I have a fairly diverse taste in music and there is very little I cannot find in lossless

I mostly listen to Edm and hip hop/rap. But I have all types of music sprinkled into my device. My tastes are also very diverse. Maybe I'm just not looking in the right places?

 

[Monsterzero]

where are you looking?  

 

[TSAVJason]

Hi! I'm Jason from The Source AV. We have a very large personal audio department. I enjoy listening to your thoughts, ideas and reasons you like things. So tell me, do you guys really like portables that allow play-thru like tidal, Spotify and stuff?

 

[jayohhvee]

  where are you looking?  

thanks for the suggestion 

 

[jayohhvee]

Hi! I'm Jason from The Source AV. We have a very large personal audio department. I enjoy listening to your thoughts, ideas and reasons you like things. So tell me, do you guys really like portables that allow play-thru like tidal, Spotify and stuff?

 
My only device for listening to music has been an iphone for the longest time, my friend convinced me to listen to lossless music and buy a good pair of headphones so I got an x3 and some high quality IEMs and there is no going back.
 
But the one thing that I absolutely miss about my phone was the ease of having spotify on my phone.  It was my go to for music rather than having to add my own files etc.  So I feel that owning a DAP with access to those applications would take it to the next level for me.

 

[ozz007]

Take a look at the link below, I just build me one and its amazing.
 
It will cost to build it with a 200Gig micro sd card just below the $450 mark.
 
And you get to used spotified.
 
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/749336/the-ultimate-dap-512gb-storage-10-000mah-battery-features-of-note-4-32bit-382khz-dsd-wi-fi-support

 

[ozz007]

Also, you get to used all android apps, Netflix etch.
Last a long time with the extended battery,
 
So I don't used it as a phone, I could but I don't, and get android 5.1.1 marshmallow when it gets release.
I used it with my mojo, but even using it by the head phone jack sound is very good.
 
Pandora, Spotify, tidal, etc.
 
I got the phone on ebay, refurbished but nothing wrong with it.

 

[TSAVJason]

My only device for listening to music has been an iphone for the longest time, my friend convinced me to listen to lossless music and buy a good pair of headphones so I got an x3 and some high quality IEMs and there is no going back.

But the one thing that I absolutely miss about my phone was the ease of having spotify on my phone.  It was my go to for music rather than having to add my own files etc.  So I feel that owning a DAP with access to those applications would take it to the next level for me.

Ok, I get it. Thanks for giving me that perspective. As an engineer and businessman I see the challenge to the manufacturer & why you'd want more access via your DAP.

 

[Raketen]

Cyberdrive/Seiun crowdfunded a series of budget/android DAP's that are supposed to be out this year- there's a lot of consternation over on the thread dedicated to them whether they will come out and live up to some of the specs that were promised (one recent possible problem raised was that they might have a high output impedance around 4 ohms, from the promised 1.8... but that shouldn't be a problem with high impedance set like sm64)- but if they do come out and are decent, could be a good option for you.
http://www.head-fi.org/t/786905/seiun-player-150-player-with-monster-spec-too-good-to-be-true
 
Otherwise, if you don't mind the clunky form-factor,  probably better off following the phone/dac/amp route Ozzie linked-  heck could probably even hook your x3ii up to your iphone with the Camera Connector Kit- If you really wanted to go all-out, your budget almost enough for a Mojo, which is the current hype train portable gadget in these parts.

 

[stacksmasher]

Ok, I get it. Thanks for giving me that perspective. As an engineer and businessman I see the challenge to the manufacturer & why you'd want more access via your DAP.

 
 
High end Android based DAP is the future. People are using their own libraries via PLEX and buying new stuff with Amazon/Google Music and the ability to add a memory card is just a plus. 
 
Think "private music servers"  Android makes this possible.