[fredhubbard2]

  A Colorfly C3 is $65.00 Canadian, My Benjie S5 was $30 CAN. I also bought the Topping NX1A for $47.I'll give it some thought! Thanks.

 
lol, just sit tight with your benjie combo for a bit. get familiar with it, both have very similar 'airy' qualities .

 

[BruceBanner]

  The C3 is $50.00 US on Aliexpress right now, what other music player in that price range is equal to or better than this? I just bought a Benjie S5 for $25.00 US and I wonder if I should have doubled the amount I spent and bought the Colorfly C3 instead? Has anyone compared the S5 and C3 together?
 
How does the C3 compare to the sound of the Walnut v2?

 
I'll be able to answer that in a week or so, my walnut is on the way and I own a C3.

FWIW I find the C3 ok, I got mine for $45USD, but with shipping and currency conversion it came to $80AUD, which was a bit more than I would have liked to of spent. My opinions are that it's a poor mans Alien Shozy, yes it's airy, but once you've heard the Alien (which feels the best in separation, 3d soundstaging and imaging, 'organicness' and airiness it's hard to get excited about a version that sounds a little like it yet not quite punching there. Maybe i'm being harsh, I'll have to compare them more closely.

As for screen and UI, it's buggy and limited, it's barely better than a screenless Shozy. Consider saving for a second hand Alien if that airiness is what you seek.

Anyway, I'll chime in with my 2 cents for the Walnut v2 vs C3 in a few days.

 

[puppyfi]

  The C3 is $50.00 US on Aliexpress right now, what other music player in that price range is equal to or better than this? I just bought a Benjie S5 for $25.00 US and I wonder if I should have doubled the amount I spent and bought the Colorfly C3 instead? Has anyone compared the S5 and C3 together?
 
How does the C3 compare to the sound of the Walnut v2?

 
Sorry, I don't have a S5 or Walnut.
But I do have the Wav Files Selection (all Chinese songs) that comes with Walnut ( thanks to forum member iJay ).
On my colorfly C3 combo with Hifiman RE00, those songs are just simply heavenly.
When listening the same songs from my Fiio X3 or Shanling M3, the magic is just not there.
But then again, when I listen to certain other songs or genres, the same combo of C3 and RE00 would sound meh.
 
So I have come to learn that synergy (between dap and iems ) and the type of genres affect how a person like or dislike the gears.
Also, everyone has different ears and listening likes.
 
To sum up, C3 sound is still relevant and can compare well against current crops of music players.
It's very basic User Interface and features, however, could be years behind (you can find out all these from reviews all over).
Personally, I like C3 for the sound, the small form factor, the light weight, the long battery life and most importantly, it is price cheaply at only $50~.

 

[iJay]

The C3 is $50.00 US on Aliexpress right now, what other music player in that price range is equal to or better than this? I just bought a Benjie S5 for $25.00 US and I wonder if I should have doubled the amount I spent and bought the Colorfly C3 instead? Has anyone compared the S5 and C3 together?

How does the C3 compare to the sound of the Walnut v2?

Please see my initial impressions between the two;

http://www.head-fi.org/t/828315/walnut-hi-fi-v2-wav-mp3-player-by-wt-screenless-budget-killer-combo-dap-amp/450#post_13100737

(A few posts later I compare Alien too.)

This may have changed slightly because of burn in, Monk+ earbuds and some EQ. I still greatly like my C3 but the Walnut is fun and has great dynamic range as a stand alone. You really can't go wrong with getting a C3 if you can swing it. ...Join the club!

 

[iJay]

C3/Walnut...
I call this the "pick your poison" stack!

 

[BruceBanner]

   
Sorry, I don't have a S5 or Walnut.
But I do have the Wav Files Selection (all Chinese songs) that comes with Walnut ( thanks to forum member iJay ).
On my colorfly C3 combo with Hifiman RE00, those songs are just simply heavenly.
When listening the same songs from my Fiio X3 or Shanling M3, the magic is just not there.
But then again, when I listen to certain other songs or genres, the same combo of C3 and RE00 would sound meh.
 
So I have come to learn that synergy (between dap and iems ) and the type of genres affect how a person like or dislike the gears.
Also, everyone has different ears and listening likes.
 
To sum up, C3 sound is still relevant and can compare well against current crops of music players.
It's very basic User Interface and features, however, could be years behind (you can find out all these from reviews all over).
Personally, I like C3 for the sound, the small form factor, the light weight, the long battery life and most importantly, it is price cheaply at only $50~.

 
hang on, it weighs 100g, hardly light! the Alien Shozy at 85g is lighter, and it's still fairly bulky. The weight of the C3 gives it a premium feel, but it also goes against it for certain scenarios such as exercising. I find the weight a put off, shoulda been half that weight...

 

[puppyfi]

hang on, it weighs 100g, hardly light! the Alien Shozy at 85g is lighter, and it's still fairly bulky. The weight of the C3 gives it a premium feel, but it also goes against it for certain scenarios such as exercising. I find the weight a put off, shoulda been half that weight...

Done that many times (10km run), so not a problem for me.
I simply carry it on my palm while running or put it inside a running pouch.
I would consider a Cowon Plenue D to be fairly bulky even though it weights 94g.

Still, my ideal small light weight running Dap would be something like having the weight of Alien or Fiio M3 (M3 perhaps a bit too light), buttons of Alien for blind operation (no touch screen like C3 or buttons of M3) and form factor of C3 (M3 too small, Alien a bit odd shape).

 

[BruceBanner]

Done that many times (10km run), so not a problem for me.
I simply carry it on my palm while running or put it inside a running pouch.
I would consider a Cowon Plenue D to be fairly bulky even though it weights 94g.

Still, my ideal small light weight running Dap would be something like having the weight of Alien or Fiio M3 (M3 perhaps a bit too light), buttons of Alien for blind operation (no touch screen like C3 or buttons of M3) and form factor of C3 (M3 too small, Alien a bit odd shape).

 
Well exercising is a broad term, and I have met a few who run with the Alien and other DAPs in hand. Some don't mind holding onto a DAP, others do, some activities like weight training mean u can't hold a dap, so it all depends, but generally speaking lighter the better for exercise, and how it can attach to the person (successfully under stress) also key.
I have a 16g DAP, 26g and 40g DAP, and I kinda think 40-50g is the cut off for me for the stuff I do, always lighter seems better. I agree about blind operation, there are far too few shuffle like exercising DAPs that are decent imo, far too many DAPs that are competing with phones, and few 'phone/boutique' DAP alternatives. It amazes me that 100g for a DAP has become acceptable for many (even considered light), that's the weight of my phone, and when out and about it's like taking two phones, yet many of us seem ok with this. Something light like the clip+ with a phone was totally acceptable and minimal adage to out and about.

 

[Podster]

   
hang on, it weighs 100g, hardly light! the Alien Shozy at 85g is lighter, and it's still fairly bulky. The weight of the C3 gives it a premium feel, but it also goes against it for certain scenarios such as exercising. I find the weight a put off, shoulda been half that weight...

Dang Bruce, I blew the weight thing all to.............

 

 
 
 
Though at 250Lbs I hardly ever know when anything is attached to me

 

[LaughMoreDaily]

Does the C3 need an amp to sound good like the Benjie S5 or can you use it on its own?

 

[fredhubbard2]

  Does the C3 need an amp to sound good like the Benjie S5 or can you use it on its own?

 you can use it on its own but it's not particularly powerful and  harder to drive IEM's like the havi b3 will defo need an amp.  you said you already got topping nx1 which is a perfect match for the colorfly c3.

 

[Sulbh]

   
I'll be able to answer that in a week or so, my walnut is on the way and I own a C3.

FWIW I find the C3 ok, I got mine for $45USD, but with shipping and currency conversion it came to $80AUD, which was a bit more than I would have liked to of spent. My opinions are that it's a poor mans Alien Shozy, yes it's airy, but once you've heard the Alien (which feels the best in separation, 3d soundstaging and imaging, 'organicness' and airiness it's hard to get excited about a version that sounds a little like it yet not quite punching there. Maybe i'm being harsh, I'll have to compare them more closely.

As for screen and UI, it's buggy and limited, it's barely better than a screenless Shozy. Consider saving for a second hand Alien if that airiness is what you seek.

Anyway, I'll chime in with my 2 cents for the Walnut v2 vs C3 in a few days.

How does it compare to smartphones like lg v10 or axon 7?

 

[starcraft2]

Just found this week that my old c3 is a perfect match for the trinity audio pm4. Just wonderful.

 

[TrollDragon]

  How does it compare to smartphones like lg v10 or axon 7?

The same way a Toyota would compare to a Porsche...

 

[Sulbh]

 
The same way a Toyota would compare to a Porsche...

Are those smartphones that much better than c3?Have you personally compared them or just assuming?