[Rogyupii]

I tried plugging my Shanling UA1 dongle to my Shanling M3X DAP just for the heck of it. Now I know since it's a USB pass-through, the UA1's DAC is in the helm. I found that there's been an increase in staging and a tad more of resolving power. A fellow head-fier told me that the amp stage of my DAP would basically be bypassed by a dongle but I'm not sure why my dongle reacts to being plugged in my DAP. Any thoughts?

 

[Roseval]

the UA1's DAC is in the helm.

Is it? What make you think so?

Shanling UA1 is a DAC/amp using a EES DAC. Hence it is USB audio and as USB is digital of course the DAC and the amp of your DAP are not used.

 

[Rogyupii]

Is it? What make you think so?

Shanling UA1 is a DAC/amp using a EES DAC. Hence it is USB audio and as USB is digital of course the DAC and the amp of your DAP are not used.

Yes that's what I meant by "in the helm". Basically my DAPs dac and amp sections are not used. Still curious as to why the sound changes that way tho

 

[Roseval]

"in the helm"

Sorry, misread you completely.
A different DAC/amp can sound different, why not.

 

[Elegiac]

What do people mean when they say 'sub-bass detail'?

 

[Rogyupii]

Sorry, misread you completely.
A different DAC/amp can sound different, why not

I guess you're right but on a phone or a pc, the UA1 just sounds "ok". On my dap its a different animal

 

[Claypole]

I guess you're right but on a phone or a pc, the UA1 just sounds "ok". On my dap its a different animal

Could it be the USB outputs on the phone and PC are noisy, whilst the DAP has a cleaner output?

 

[Rogyupii]

Could it be the USB outputs on the phone and PC are noisy, whilst the DAP has a cleaner output?

A black background does help I think, you might actually be right. In any case I think it has to do with the output staging, you're a genius man

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

As the previous poster had said. DAP has a cleaner more high fidelity output from your noisy phone or mainstream PC due to audio dedicated electronics/design and casing. Thus has a blacker background and defined output, and thus more details, layers etc. Leaner OS and Player gives difference too.

 

[Rogyupii]

As the previous poster had said. DAP has a cleaner more high fidelity output from your noisy phone or mainstream PC due to audio dedicated electronics/design and casing. Thus has a blacker background and defined output, and thus more details, layers etc. Leaner OS and Player gives difference too.

Thanks for the insight man

 

[iFi audio]

Basically my DAPs dac and amp sections are not used. Still curious as to why the sound changes that way tho

That's correct. When you connect a DAP via a digital cable to a separate DAC/amp device, then your DAP becomes only a transport for files, so its DAC circuit and amplifier are effectively bypassed.

As for your question, a DAC/amp device has its own sound characteristic that blends with a DAP's own character, which is what you hear.

 

[Rogyupii]

That's correct. When you connect a DAP via a digital cable to a separate DAC/amp device, then your DAP becomes only a transport for files, so its DAC circuit and amplifier are effectively bypassed.

As for your question, a DAC/amp device has its own sound characteristic that blends with a DAP's own character, which is what you hear.

Woah, it's almost like sorcery at its most basic form

 

[iFi audio]

Woah, it's almost like sorcery at its most basic form

Many would call it science

Still, if you don't have anything against using two portable products, stacking a DAP and DAC/amp gets lots of folks here on HF very nice results. Enjoy the ride!