[dcfis]

Hi guys thanks for all your insite and help so far. I am a big 2 channel guy and was won over with the Panny digitals and now Bel cantos (though the panny is better bang for the buck). Having owned, built, listened to many different amps the digitals are impressive. I have noticed that Panny is using all digital in their PCDPs but dont make any DAPs. I see a mega expensive Kenwood that is using their non Tpath digital amp. I have owned headphones senns, grado, audio tek. and enjoyed them but didnt drill me like a friends UE 5 IEMs. I am testing different IEMs to try to get the best for me now and I believe the IEM format to be "blacker" "have potential for superior layering and clearly defined space between instuments" as well as non resonant low end than anything we have seen. So I really think a no loss DAP with a digital Tpath amp and IEMs will be amazing. We have already converted a Panny XR25 into a digital headphone amp on the UE 5s and straight from an optical in. I am impressed. So any help on the digital DAP would be helpful. Thanks

 

[root]

The only DAP with optical out/in I am aware of is iRiver iHP 120/140 (now out of production). It's optical output not only bypasses the internal amps and equalizer, but also the DAC.

 

[dcfis]

Thanks for that info I was going to ask that also. What I am specifically wanting is the newish full digital amplification in a DAP .. ala Tact, Bel Canto, Panasonic. I see that Panny is using full digital amplification path in their new PCDPs. They dont make a DAP unit though. Seems the Kenwood DAP is full digital (Kenwoods own path) but kenwoods digital isnt the highly acclaimed one of the Panny, Bel Canto, Tact.