maceto
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2009
- Posts
- 685
- Likes
- 549
3 weeks back, I wasn't planning to get a DAP, I was going to upgrade my desk(top) - I listen to music primarily at my desk when working or on an occasional walk/work trip/holiday.
After getting some sweet deals from B-Stocks and sales - I had to adjust my thinking a little in terms of what makes sense and also from a space perspective.
I landed on a DAP to get more color to my setup; I have a Mojo2, but adding an AMP is clumsy (cluttered desk and two non-matching systems, cables, etc.); it's an all-in-one, and I don't want to sell it. So then I figured it made sense to go with something different, and more portable to me ( as while I can transport Mojo2, I don't see myself doing so)
As you all know, once you start looking at something, you end up wanting the best, and while I can - it's going to hurt my wallet too much now, so I am not going to spend $3,500 - especially when I'd want to see some re-freshes to compare with (Cayin N9ii?, Hiby RS8, Sony and Luxury Precision)
Hiby RS8 seems amazing, but I don't find their previous models to fit my need, as much as I think Cayin N8ii would have (I want tubes, character, and LOADS of options regarding the sound - and the best sound. So I want to wait and compare the two new flagships in 2023 as from release cycles, that seems to be an option, as hopefully, Sony will have sorted their supply chain by then, and Luxury Precision will update their players.
Okay, enough "ranting" - I stream and want something easy when loading and adding songs. Mac user. With the above in mind, I want to dip my toes into DAP now. until I spend something significant on one in early 2023.
Looking here: https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/audio-player
HiBy R5 II (Gen 2) $427
Cayin N3Pro (N3 Pro) $432 -- No Tidal or Apple, need to rip and save - hassle but seems to be a killer for the price.
Shanling M3 Ultra $431
HiBy New R6 2020 $609
Shanling M6 Ultra $735
Shanling M7 $999
HiBy RS6 $1,189
HiBy R8 $1,499
I do prefer R2R as one of the reasons I started to look into something different from my Mojo2 in the first place. I like the ability to change sounds; I have ADHD, and once I get into something, I tend to want to play a lot with things.... it doesn't have to be a real tube... but I want to have filters, sound settings, etc. that would allow me to tinker and adjust. I don't have to have android, but I'd like Tidal and Apple music to be easy to load/save to the DAP, as anything that doesn't work, I tend to lose interest and saving and loading music manually on a SD card is not my thing....unless you tell me it's as easy as 1.2.3 but then the DAP better be cheap....
Any thoughts/suggestions? I am leaning towards HiBy RS6 $1,189, but I think that's overkill for what I need right now, as I'll go all in -- in 2023.
Thanks for any thoughts
(edit: I have u12t's, LCD-X, Shure 846, various Bluetooth headphones, buying UM Universal MEST MKII, and a couple of earbuds from TGXEAR (look them up on this forum - killers), some moondrops and other non-relevant things. I listen to more or less anything... from rap, pop, some blues, classic, 60,70, and 80's music - since some might ask, as I know there's pairing to consider too.
After getting some sweet deals from B-Stocks and sales - I had to adjust my thinking a little in terms of what makes sense and also from a space perspective.
I landed on a DAP to get more color to my setup; I have a Mojo2, but adding an AMP is clumsy (cluttered desk and two non-matching systems, cables, etc.); it's an all-in-one, and I don't want to sell it. So then I figured it made sense to go with something different, and more portable to me ( as while I can transport Mojo2, I don't see myself doing so)
As you all know, once you start looking at something, you end up wanting the best, and while I can - it's going to hurt my wallet too much now, so I am not going to spend $3,500 - especially when I'd want to see some re-freshes to compare with (Cayin N9ii?, Hiby RS8, Sony and Luxury Precision)
Hiby RS8 seems amazing, but I don't find their previous models to fit my need, as much as I think Cayin N8ii would have (I want tubes, character, and LOADS of options regarding the sound - and the best sound. So I want to wait and compare the two new flagships in 2023 as from release cycles, that seems to be an option, as hopefully, Sony will have sorted their supply chain by then, and Luxury Precision will update their players.
Okay, enough "ranting" - I stream and want something easy when loading and adding songs. Mac user. With the above in mind, I want to dip my toes into DAP now. until I spend something significant on one in early 2023.
Looking here: https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/audio-player
HiBy R5 II (Gen 2) $427
Cayin N3Pro (N3 Pro) $432 -- No Tidal or Apple, need to rip and save - hassle but seems to be a killer for the price.
Shanling M3 Ultra $431
HiBy New R6 2020 $609
Shanling M6 Ultra $735
Shanling M7 $999
HiBy RS6 $1,189
HiBy R8 $1,499
I do prefer R2R as one of the reasons I started to look into something different from my Mojo2 in the first place. I like the ability to change sounds; I have ADHD, and once I get into something, I tend to want to play a lot with things.... it doesn't have to be a real tube... but I want to have filters, sound settings, etc. that would allow me to tinker and adjust. I don't have to have android, but I'd like Tidal and Apple music to be easy to load/save to the DAP, as anything that doesn't work, I tend to lose interest and saving and loading music manually on a SD card is not my thing....unless you tell me it's as easy as 1.2.3 but then the DAP better be cheap....
Any thoughts/suggestions? I am leaning towards HiBy RS6 $1,189, but I think that's overkill for what I need right now, as I'll go all in -- in 2023.
Thanks for any thoughts
(edit: I have u12t's, LCD-X, Shure 846, various Bluetooth headphones, buying UM Universal MEST MKII, and a couple of earbuds from TGXEAR (look them up on this forum - killers), some moondrops and other non-relevant things. I listen to more or less anything... from rap, pop, some blues, classic, 60,70, and 80's music - since some might ask, as I know there's pairing to consider too.
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