[Oscarilbo]

Yes, that will work. Direct out means you don't get to control volume. But the best 1:1 connection async USB. I use the ap80 as a media player for my stereo using the USB input of my Ares II dac. Best quality I ever had via DSD. Or PCM. Usually, an amplifier has a volume knob. Digital volume is ok as long as you realise you lose bitdepth. That's not a big deal but as long as you understand that a bunch of volume buttons or pots degrades quality. Use either or.

USB out is optimal 1:1 data output.

Thank you. But wouldn’t mean there’s a filter over the signal, which is being degraded by controlling the volume before its been sent to a DAC? Even so you think its actually a clean signal?

 

[Tomm11]

With the AP80 volume wide open you are losing, essentially, nothing. As you turn it down you begin the lose bits (I believe 1 bit for every 6db attenuation). Whether you can hear it or not is another story. "Clean" isn't really the right word to describe it I don't think but at any rate .... It's "clean" either way but with the AP80 volume 100% wide open, it's 100% "clean" for all intents and purposes.

 

[Oscarilbo]

How’s the battery life on the original AP80 in the long term? How many years could last?

 

[rp1972]

Is there any portable solution like a rear clip for the Ap80 pro ? That's the only thing I really miss

 

[OmniscientNihilist]

had ap80 pro for 2 years. battery starting to get worse. also headphone back is cutting in and out

just ordered ap80 regular purple from amazon from hidizs store.

nothing else to buy, this seemed to be the only option. i wanted to try shanling q1 but they dont have them on my amazon and the price on ali express went way up.

i had ap80 regular before the pro. and i broke the screen. im looking forward to see if it crashes less then the pro version. i think i remember it crashing less. but i will be able to check again.

 

[goodvibes]

had ap80 pro for 2 years. battery starting to get worse. also headphone back is cutting in and out

just ordered ap80 regular purple from amazon from hidizs store.

nothing else to buy, this seemed to be the only option. i wanted to try shanling q1 but they dont have them on my amazon and the price on ali express went way up.

i had ap80 regular before the pro. and i broke the screen. im looking forward to see if it crashes less then the pro version. i think i remember it crashing less. but i will be able to check again.

Q1 is cheaper on DH gate.

 

[OmniscientNihilist]

Q1 is cheaper on DH gate.

still 250

i remember awhile back i saw it for 160 on ali express

but whatever i already ordered a purple ap80 regular anyway. i used to get 12 hours playback off my first ap80 regular. mind you its supposed to be bad for the battery to use it from 100% to 0%

 

[goodvibes]

still 250

i remember awhile back i saw it for 160 on ali express

but whatever i alreEady ordered a purple ap80 regular anyway. i used to get 12 hours playback off my first ap80 regular. mind you its supposed to be bad for the battery to use it from 100% to 0%

$177 with coupon but you should be good anyway. Curious why it didn't show up in your search. Googled it, hit shopping and boom.
https://www.dhgate.com/product/mp4-...4PXZ2RdMYL45KbVORSQGa-Q9BH1yc0MRoChRsQAvD_BwE

 

[OmniscientNihilist]

$177 with coupon but you should be good anyway. Curious why it didn't show up in your search. Googled it, hit shopping and boom.
https://www.dhgate.com/product/mp4-shanling-q1-es9218p-hi-res-bluetooth/817266416.html?f=bm|GMC|pla|18242349505||817266416||103001|US|beido|c|2|&utm_source=pla&utm_medium=GMC&utm_campaign=beido&utm_term=817266416&gclid=CjwKCAiAuOieBhAIEiwAgjCvctUlWTA3e92-tuJQnlHPpK4PXZ2RdMYL45KbVORSQGa-Q9BH1yc0MRoChRsQAvD_BwE

shows 182$ usd for me

im in CAD canada

i think ali express was 160 cad before. now they are way up on there

i think my old headphone cable was better for my ap80 headphone back because it was bent. my new cables are straight out so they are harder on the jack. maybe why my jack failed. and i use the device about 30hrs a week

 

[passionationude]

Hi these are the MSEB settings I am using currently:

Overall temperature = -10
Bas extension = 12
Bass texture = 12
Note thickness = 2
Vocals = 2
Female overtones = 2
Sibilance LF = 0
Sibilance HF = -1
Impulse response = -10
Air = 0

What settings are you using?

 

[OmniscientNihilist]

Hi these are the MSEB settings I am using currently:

Overall temperature = -10
Bas extension = 12
Bass texture = 12
Note thickness = 2
Vocals = 2
Female overtones = 2
Sibilance LF = 0
Sibilance HF = -1
Impulse response = -10
Air = 16

What settings are you using?

official mseb frequencies - based on parametric eq

1 -- Overall Temperature is a tilt of the whole line towards treble (cool) or bass (warm)
2 -- Bass extension 70Hz and below
3 -- Bass texture 100Hz (medium)
4 -- Note thickness 200Hz (wide)
5 -- Vocals 650Hz (very wide)
6 -- Female overtones 3kHz (tight)
7 -- Sibilance LF 5.8kHz (medium)
8 -- Sibilance HF 9.2kHz (medium)
9 -- Impulse response 7.5kHz (very wide)
10 - Air 10kHz sloped all the way to 20kHz

it should depend on your sound signature. if you can find a graph of it on google. then use eq to make it more flat (remove the intrinsic flaws)

 

[OmniscientNihilist]

THIS NEW purple ap80 regular i just got says firmware version 2.5 -- i dont even see that version on the download website

and this ap80 so far is crashing less then my ap80 pro when im fiddling with the menu then quicky grab the volume

also it sounds just as good as the pro to me

also i only got 10hrs playback off my pro and my preivous ap80 i got 12hrs. so well see if i can get 12 off this new purple ap80

so far the ap80 is better than the pro i think

the balanced port on my pro sounds bad too. something is wrong with it. BUT it might just be the cable adapter i ordered. have to order another one and test it

vol knob in this new purple ap80 is real tight. my previous ap80 and ap80 pro knob was a bit looser

 

[Tomm11]

The AP80 uses the same chip as the pro, only the pro uses 2 of them and has balanced output. So more output power from the pro if you use balanced. But less battery life because it's the same battery between the two and the pro has dual DAC chips. Makes sense. As far as crashing, I've never had the AP80Pro crash. I don't use any of the MSEB or eq functions. Just plug and play off SD card. I don't even use the internal DAC any more. I only use it as a transport now. If you want to keep it all Hidizs and can handle a little more bulk, the companion Hidizs DAC/amplifier (DH80 or DH80S) makes for a much better sounding solution ... IMHO.

 

[MisterMudd]

My AP80 from the original Kickstarter program has never crashed, and I have "fiddled" with it plenty. Awesome piece of kit overall, so much so that I also bought the Pro for balanced listening. They are both treating my ears right, and are downright bargains for their prices!

 

[OmniscientNihilist]

The AP80 uses the same chip as the pro, only the pro uses 2 of them and has balanced output. So more output power from the pro if you use balanced. But less battery life because it's the same battery between the two and the pro has dual DAC chips. Makes sense. As far as crashing, I've never had the AP80Pro crash. I don't use any of the MSEB or eq functions. Just plug and play off SD card. I don't even use the internal DAC any more. I only use it as a transport now. If you want to keep it all Hidizs and can handle a little more bulk, the companion Hidizs DAC/amplifier (DH80 or DH80S) makes for a much better sounding solution ... IMHO.

MY pro would crash everyday. almost always when using volume. but mostly after using the touch screen then volume quickly afterwards.

it crashed through a few different firmware's.

no major settings changes from default.