[JediMa70]

I've used for years a Fiio X3 2nd gen and I liked it, I tried for a bit to use a Fiio X3 Mark III but it's somehow worse than the 2nd Gen, can you help me with better options please?
I was considering a Cowon Plenue D , a Shanling M2S, Docooler XDUOO x10 HIFI, ibasso dx80
I care mainly about sound quality

 

[JediMa70]

Oh i forgot to add Eventually the FiiO X3 2nd gen still in the price range

 

[zdrvr]

Opus#1 has great sound quality

 

[Jerda]

https://afdigitale.it/hiby-r6-dap-android/

https://www.eglobalcentral.co.it/sh...1e3VQd-l9dCgI9BZMaAtF5EALw_wcB#/product/22484

Or search an A&K 70 second hand or New as the new version is out and the price of the first one has went down enough. If you wanna look the second hand market maybe you could find the opus 3 with a good price( the 2 is the top of the line and the 3 is on the second place... yeah).
OR you could just look for a dac as you don't have one and just use the fiio as music source, The difference from or dap to another when plugging the Dap to an amplifier is the dac section.
Best regards

 

[PinkyPowers]

If you can get the Opus#1 for under $300, certainly consider that. It matched the quality of my AK120II, and for a fraction of the cost.

If that price isn't possible, the Shanling M3s is a great player, and a noticeable upgrade to the M2s. It's not quite Opus quality, but good enough.