[hypersonic]

   
The high-end DAC chip you're talking about costs less than $17 at a factory.
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1PCS-IC-ASAHI-KASEI-AKM-LQFP-44-AK4399EQ-AK4399EQP-DAC-chip-/141438305512?hash=item20ee6144e8:g:QIkAAOSw1x1UPNmY

You think making a DAC is just plugging in a chip? genius

 

[regit]

AK is absolutely overpriced...

everything in the capitalist market is overpriced by nature and by law, to maximise profit... Good thing is that there are a number of players here, and not as with De beers.

 

[tituss]

omg
buy a PD in Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan, they give you these items for FREE now !!!
 

 

[audio123]

omg
buy a PD in Hong Kong, they give you these items for FREE now !!!

what a deal!

 

[ZerkMeister]

  omg
buy a PD in Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan, they give you these items for FREE now !!!
 

Dang now Im jealous.

 

[HamsterKing]

omg
buy a PD in Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan, they give you these items for FREE now !!!



What is this website

 

[BruceBanner]

  iBasso R10 costs $799...
 
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sprint-prepaid-htc-desire-510-no-contract-cell-phone-blue/8873308.p?id=1219386585685
 
This prepaid smartphone which costs $45 comes with better design, wifi, UI, CPU, battery life, touchscreen than AK380 ($3500), Fiio X7 ($700), HM901 ($999). 
You don't need to use this as a phone if you wish.. there's no contract since it's a prepaid phone. 
It can be used as a personal android device without monthly phone bills.
 
I had R10 and sold it in about 2 months because of its dysfunctional UI and OS, extremely short battery life. That's why I'm questioning where all extremely high price tags on these DAPs are coming from...

Good and valid points.
 
For me smartphones don't go loud enough, I have to root android to lift the volume restraints which is a PIA half the time (and buggy).
 
If yer comparing flat un eq'd, un dsp'd sound quality then I would actually wager that many of us would not be able to tell the difference between two sound sources such as a $45 phone vs say a Fiio X7 (when low volume matched). Where the game changes is the DSPs, amp and volume, with many dedicated DAPs trumping in this regard (better able to drive certain headphones due to stronger amp, wider array and better implementation of EQ (Cowon's BBE/Jet Effect or AP100's hardware EQ etc) and higher volumes.
 
But considering the option of using a cheap smartphone docked with a decent portable amp is a very sound approach.

 

[kawaivpc1]

  Good and valid points.
 
For me smartphones don't go loud enough, I have to root android to lift the volume restraints which is a PIA half the time (and buggy).
 
If yer comparing flat un eq'd, un dsp'd sound quality then I would actually wager that many of us would not be able to tell the difference between two sound sources such as a $45 phone vs say a Fiio X7 (when low volume matched). Where the game changes is the DSPs, amp and volume, with many dedicated DAPs trumping in this regard (better able to drive certain headphones due to stronger amp, wider array and better implementation of EQ (Cowon's BBE/Jet Effect or AP100's hardware EQ etc) and higher volumes.
 
But considering the option of using a cheap smartphone docked with a decent portable amp is a very sound approach.

That's exactly what I'm talking about.
 
All of these chinese DAPs maybe sound a bit better but in terms of hardware design, quality of UI, touchscreen, WI-FI, CPU, size, battery life, they're light years behind this $41 prepaid smartphone which doesn't require you to sign a contract.
 
This $41 HTC smartphone has better design, battery life, UI, OS, touchscreen, wi-fi than AK240, DX100, etc. 
That being said, all these high quality design, hardware could be accomplished under $100. These chinese DAP companies are extremely inefficient in accomplishing the same thing even with 20 - 40 times the price.

 

[audio123]

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

All of these chinese DAPs maybe sound a bit better but in terms of hardware design, quality of UI, touchscreen, WI-FI, CPU, size, battery life, they're light years behind this $45 prepaid smartphone which doesn't require you to sign a contract.

This $45 HTC smartphone has better design, battery life, UI, OS, touchscreen, wi-fi than AK240, DX100, etc. 
That being said, all these high quality design, hardware could be accomplished under $100. These chinese DAP companies are extremely inefficient in accomplishing the same thing even with 20 - 40 times the price.

for your ignorance, Astell&Kern and Cowon are both Korean companies.

 

[BruceBanner]

  That's exactly what I'm talking about.
 
All of these chinese DAPs maybe sound a bit better but in terms of hardware design, quality of UI, touchscreen, WI-FI, CPU, size, battery life, they're light years behind this $45 prepaid smartphone which doesn't require you to sign a contract.
 
This $41 HTC smartphone has better design, battery life, UI, OS, touchscreen, wi-fi than AK240, DX100, etc. 
That being said, all these high quality design, hardware could be accomplished under $100. These chinese DAP companies are extremely inefficient in accomplishing the same thing even with 20 - 40 times the price.

 
Preaching to the converted. I hate them all lol. Insane prices at the expense of attaining the increased functionality of a cheap smartphone lol.

I dunno about you guys but if I want a dedicated DAP then i want it to trump (significantly) what a smartphone has to offer, this means;
 
1) Greater array of codec support
2) M3u support
3) a GOOD OTG Playlist support
4) Full lyric support with a wide array of lyric support
5) More customisable tactile buttons (such as a dedicated EQ button)
6) More battery life
7) No lag
8) Superb DSPs
9) Decent price point
10) Decent power to drive headphones that a phone would normally struggle with.
 
 
My AP100 has points 1,2,5 (kinda),8 and 10, but fails in the rest. The Plenue D has 1,2,3,4,6,8 and 10 but sucks in the other areas. 

 

[Despotes]

   
Preaching to the converted. I hate them all lol. Insane prices at the expense of attaining the increased functionality of a cheap smartphone lol.

I dunno about you guys but if I want a dedicated DAP then i want it to trump (significantly) what a smartphone has to offer, this means;
 
1) Greater array of codec support
2) M3u support
3) a GOOD OTG Playlist support
4) Full lyric support with a wide array of lyric support
5) More customisable tactile buttons (such as a dedicated EQ button)
6) More battery life
7) No lag
8) Superb DSPs
9) Decent price point
10) Decent power to drive headphones that a phone would normally struggle with.
 
 
My AP100 has points 1,2,5 (kinda),8 and 10, but fails in the rest. The Plenue D has 1,2,3,4,6,8 and 10 but sucks in the other areas. 

A replaceable battery should be priority as well. We shouldn't have to replace a $1000 device just because we can't replace a worn battery! It's ridiculous!

 

[BruceBanner]

Yes another valid point, I am sure there are many more desires among the community.
 
These days I have a check list and if the DAP fails to tick any of them I kinda just move on. My checklist is;
 
1) EQ, and also more importantly how easy and quick it can be to toggle
2) m3u support
3) Sub $300 Price point
4) Weight (sub 100g preferred, less the better)
5) Lyric support (optional)
6) Interesting sound quality

 

[kawaivpc1]

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/cricket-wireless-htc-desire-625-4g-lte-with-8gb-memory-cell-phone-gray/5152800.p?id=bb5152800&skuId=5152800
 
For $59, you can get a snapdragon CPU Android 5 OS device without any contract. 
 
The companies on this site refuse to implement touchscreen, snapdragon CPU, wifi feature, Android 5 until you pay $700 or more.

 

[Despotes]

I just bought the PD from the Jetaudio Ebay store for $229.99. I couldn't resist that price and that battery. 
Now to search for some IEM's. MEE audio Pinnacle P1? 1MORE Triple Driver? Dunu Titan 5? RHA MA750?
I'd prefer detachable cables.

 

[Poimandre]

I actually think the Plenue D isn't bad in terms of pricing. It's not nearly as expensive as a lot of the other players out there, and the build quality seems classy (old CPU etc aside!).

I picked mine up for about $300 AUD. For reference, this is about the same as what I payed for a Cowon J3 a few years ago, iPod Classic before that, Sony NWA3000, mini disc player, even a quality discman was about the same price. It's basically the price I have always paid!