[fgriggs]

In your opinion, what is the best portable player to drive inefficient headphones? I have considered an amp or dac/amp for my smartphone, but instead I am looking for a one device solution.
 
Specifically, I am trying to drive a pair of T50RP headphones. 53 ohms, but not sensitive. I have a budget of $500, but am willing to consider options outside of that if the need arises.

 

[bcarr112281]

  In your opinion, what is the best portable player to drive inefficient headphones? I have considered an amp or dac/amp for my smartphone, but instead I am looking for a one device solution.
 
Specifically, I am trying to drive a pair of T50RP headphones. 53 ohms, but not sensitive. I have a budget of $500, but am willing to consider options outside of that if the need arises.

 
Hello, @fgriggs -
 
It appears the two of us have similar requirements.
 
You might want to consider the Acoustic Research M2 (AR-M2) or the Questyle QP1R. Both players have unusual features that enable them to drive difficult headphones with aplomb. (Some users report that the QP1R starts to clip at extreme volumes.) Other possibilities include the iBasso DX200 or the Fiio X7 with the AM2/medium-power amp module.
 
My own preferences are such that I'm most interested in the AR-M2. The M2 performs well both subjectively and objectively, and it's possible to replace the battery, a crucial consideration that many users seem to ignore. (Although the battery isn't readily user-accessible, it's apparently easier to change than those used in the majority of new audio players.)
 
Unfortunately, all the options I've mentioned above range from $650 (Fiio X7) to $1,200 (AR-M2). Still, you can often find sales or special promotions. Indeed, I hope to buy a new AR-M2 for less than $900.
 
Best regards,
Brian

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  In your opinion, what is the best portable player to drive inefficient headphones? I have considered an amp or dac/amp for my smartphone, but instead I am looking for a one device solution.
 
Specifically, I am trying to drive a pair of T50RP headphones. 53 ohms, but not sensitive. I have a budget of $500, but am willing to consider options outside of that if the need arises.

 

There's the Astell & Kern AK380 with the AK380 docking amp, so instead of clumsy cables you have what looks like a single, almost seamless device, and with a large battery too.You just need to recable the headphone for balanced drive to get all that power out of it.

 

That is of course dependent on how willing you are to venture outside of $500 for such an option. Otherwise, there's the Fiio X7 with the balanced drive amp module also, but I'd get a powerbank for it. Stick it on with velcro and hook it up with a short cable only when you need to, and it's otherwise very compact.

 

[fgriggs]

What do you guys think of the Aune M2/M2Pro/M2s? Powerful at 230mW into 32 ohms, low THD+N at 0.0009%, and a max battery life of ~6.5 hours, so a battery pack is essential.
 
M2 - $350 - Japanese Crystal Oscillators
M2 Pro - $500 - Custom Crystek (USA) Crystal Oscillators and upgraded opamps
M2S - $650 - Upgrades of the Pro version, adds Teflon substrate PCB
 
 
 

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  What do you guys think of the Aune M2/M2Pro/M2s? Powerful at 230mW into 32 ohms, low THD+N at 0.0009%, and a max battery life of ~6.5 hours, so a battery pack is essential.
 
M2 - $350 - Japanese Crystal Oscillators
M2 Pro - $500 - Custom Crystek (USA) Crystal Oscillators and upgraded opamps
M2S - $650 - Upgrades of the Pro version, adds Teflon substrate PCB

 

Looks good, and as for value per dollar, it looks great next to the AK. Note UI quibbles vs touchscreen DAPs' ease of operation though (and particularly the X5III beign able to run regular Android).

http://www.head-fi.org/products/aune-m2-32bit-dsd-portable-music-player/reviews/16748

 

I'd double check the figures though - with 230mW at pure Class A that's like a chunk of what something like the Asgard can spit out. Either this has switched over to Class B at some point en route to 230mW (and thus not running pure Class A), or it can replace a jock strap as birth control by just letting it cook your swimmers while in your pocket. That might be plus to you though (seeing as the alternative is a peskly sheet of synthetic material around your willy, or having your vas deferens cut).

 

[fgriggs]

 

 

Looks good, and as for value per dollar, it looks great next to the AK. Note UI quibbles vs touchscreen DAPs' ease of operation though (and particularly the X5III beign able to run regular Android).

http://www.head-fi.org/products/aune-m2-32bit-dsd-portable-music-player/reviews/16748

 

I'd double check the figures though - with 230mW at pure Class A that's like a chunk of what something like the Asgard can spit out. Either this has switched over to Class B at some point en route to 230mW (and thus not running pure Class A), or it can replace a jock strap as birth control by just letting it cook your swimmers while in your pocket. That might be plus to you though (seeing as the alternative is a peskly sheet of synthetic material around your willy, or having your vas deferens cut).

Yes, main complaint is the simplistic, almost archaic, UI.
 
I doubt it is pure Class A, as they list "...opamp and 10 discrete transistors. Each transistor at the end uses the [Class] A bias". Still, 230 mW in Class A-ish would be enough to cook dinner on. Good thing my phone and wallet already occupy my front pockets. I would prefer to have my children frozen and locked away before they are useless and dead.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  I would prefer to have my children frozen and locked away before they are useless and dead.

Oh I just assumed you had swimmers, not eggs 

 

[fgriggs]

 
Oh I just assumed you had swimmers, not eggs 

Have you not heard of a sperm bank?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
Have you not heard of a sperm bank?

 
Oh well I thought you only go to sperm banks to sell eggs, not "freeze children" presumably for future use, considering males don't really run out of them (unlike eggs). Like, even if viagra doesn't help, we have the tech to extract them (ie, a syringe).

 

[bcarr112281]

  What do you guys think of the Aune M2/M2Pro/M2s? 

 
Hi, @fgriggs -
 
I mostly listen to classical music, so the Aune's lack of gapless playback is a crucial omission. (It's a significant consideration for popular music too, as albums such as The Dark Side of the Moon will stutter rather than play as continuous streams of music.) Indeed, the Aune's user experience seems archaic and potentially difficult to manage, a common weakness with these kinds of devices. A basic feature set isn't necessarily bad, but ease-of-use can be the difference between an enjoyable experience and a paperweight.
 
And . . . what happens when the battery dies?
 
Best regards,
Brian

 

[fgriggs]

   
Hi, @fgriggs -
 
I mostly listen to classical music, so the Aune's lack of gapless playback is a crucial omission. (It's a significant consideration for popular music too, as albums such as The Dark Side of the Moon will stutter rather than play as continuous streams of music.) Indeed, the Aune's user experience seems archaic and potentially difficult to manage, a common weakness with these kinds of devices. A basic feature set isn't necessarily bad, but ease-of-use can be the difference between an enjoyable experience and a paperweight.
 
And . . . what happens when the battery dies?
 
Best regards,
Brian

Yes, the lack of gapless playback (for all files, not just cue) is a major letdown.
 
The battery life is solved by frequent charging and/or an external battery pack. Not exactly the most streamlined way to go. But yes, if the experience isn't enjoyable, and the music keeps stuttering, then it will be well on its way to be an expensive paperweight.

 

[bcarr112281]

  The battery life is solved by frequent charging and/or an external battery pack. Not exactly the most streamlined way to go. But yes, if the experience isn't enjoyable, and the music keeps stuttering, then it will be well on its way to be an expensive paperweight.

 
I was referring to the battery's total longevity. I know nothing about the Aune, but Onkyo offers a DAP--a pricey one--in which the battery is bonded using strong adhesive. When the DAP's battery stops functioning Onkyo simply expects the user to discard the entire unit, never mind that it might be in perfect working order! What--you paid us $700 eighteen months ago? Tsk, tsk. Here's our shiny new model for $1,000! It's a scam trend that's become common for nearly all mobile devices.
 
At least iBasso's DX200 apparently has a battery that's easy to replace.

 

[fgriggs]

   
I was referring to the battery's total longevity. I know nothing about the Aune, but Onkyo offers a DAP--a pricey one--in which the battery is bonded using strong adhesive. When the DAP's battery stops functioning Onkyo simply expects the user to discard the entire unit, never mind that it might be in perfect working order! What--you paid us $700 eighteen months ago? Tsk, tsk. Here's our shiny new model for $1,000! It's a scam trend that's become common for nearly all mobile devices.
 
At least iBasso's DX200 apparently has a battery that's easy to replace.

Yes, sadly most devices today have an "integrated" battery. Smartphones, DAPs, or whatever are "designed" to be as small as possible - at the expense of no more removeable battery.
 
Onkyo's DAP, while pricey and nice, also supports MQA. As such, I refuse to consider it.