[Mhog55]

Please excuse my ignorance, this is still new to me. I have a question a couple DAPs power ratings. Looking at the Shanling M2s, it provides 130mw of juice. Looking at the Cayin N3, it states 130mw + 130mw. Are these the same, or does the N3 have double the power?

 

[Mhog55]

Also -
The N3 is rated at 1.0 vrms
The m2s is rated at 2.2 vrms
My LG V30 is rated at 1.9 vrms
Can someone help me make sense of what this all means? That would be quite helpful, as I don't know WTH I'm doing Thx

 

[castleofargh]

when dealing with such numbers, you need to check that they're given for the same load(the impedance of your headphone ideally) and conditions(like @1%THD). otherwise those values can be completely meaningless or worst, misleading.

based on this:
https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/amp/cayin-n3.php
https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/amp/shanling-m2s.php

unless you're planing on using non portable headphones, power is probably not what you need to care about. instead you should look up the user interface and if you think you'll like it.
if you're planning on using low impedance multidriver IEMs, then the M2's impedance could impact the overall signature and you might want to avoid that DAP. otherwise, the M2 seems overall cleaner than the N3(again only based on flying over the measurements I linked, I've heard none of those devices personally).
then for extremely sensitive IEMs if that's what you use, always ask in the IEM's topic if somebody has that combo and can notice background hiss. that can certainly be annoying sometimes.

and in general, a DAP is rarely going to be the best at everything, so tell people what you're going to use it with. it will often provide much clearer conditions for us to speculate, and anybody with that headphone/IEM might have particular recommendations based on experience.

 

[Mhog55]

Thanks for your reply. I figured out that the 130mw + 130mw for the N3 is per channel, so same as the m2s. The voltage regulator thing is what's throwing me off.
I'm 90% sure I want the Shanling m3s. It provides more power in balanced than single ended. As you stated, there is always a compromise or two with every DAP. With the m3s, it's no streaming or on board storage. I'm okay with neither. I only have three cans I could use balanced, and I don't use IEMs. I'd have to source separate cables cables for all 3, which means another 300 plus bones. That combined with the idea that I'll get spoiled by balanced, I'm afraid I won't want to listen single ended.
So essentially, I just need to decide between the m2s and the m3s. I much prefer the UI of these over the N3. My hardest to drive headphones is my HD 58X, and I would imagine either of these would do the trick. If I go with the m3s, I can see the rabbit hole getting deeper. I'd still like to get a nice, balanced planar down the road.