[Virtu Fortuna]

Have u tried ZX300? I know it's a midfi DAP but Imo, the balanced output on it sounds like WM1A Single Ended.

Pretty impressive for almost half the price of WM1A. Wonder how it'll fare in this chart

I also want to listen to the ZX300 and see how it can achieve compared to others in this chart. But for some reason it hadn't stepped in to the Turkish market yet and this is really weird. All the others (ZX2, WM1A/Z) entered here much faster than this, but we're still waiting the ZX300.

I'll of course demo it when it arrives here.

 

[eldss]

Any chance of the Ibasso DX150 making it's way to your chart?

 

[Whitigir]

Any chance of the Ibasso DX150 making it's way to your chart?

Eventually, many DAP will fall in under the similar rating. That is because we only have 1-10 for number rating while different sound signatures can be said to be indefinitely.

Let make it a bit easier, there are categories : beginner, mid tier, top tier, high-end tier.....lately we are having some market makes up category (the Money more than mind tier, expensive tier)

 

[kdphan]

Which amp did you use for Dx200?

 

[Whitigir]

Amp4 and soon to have 4s

 

[Signal2Noise]

I did not get a chance to listen to it.

Soooo....this is all based on YOUR own hearing?

 

[raypin]

Mm...I disagree with the ranking of the Sony WM1Z. It should be lower because: it does not support usb audio and it does not support Tidal or Qubuz streaming service. Under usage, it should be 7, not 10. At the top end of the market, a rich feature set is important. For the asking price of usd 2700.00, it is a given that you have to make the DAP as useful as possible specially when its much lower priced rivals are more feature-rich. It is 2018 already. Sony ignored Tidal and Qubuz. That is unforgivable in my book.

Re: based on my 1 hour side-by-side audition, using the Fourte and PWAudio 4 wire 1960s cable, I agree that the SP1000cu (more musical) just edges out the SS version (more analytical) and both are significantly superior to my Ak380cu in the sound department. It was an easy audition..

 

[kdphan]

Mm...I disagree with the ranking of the Sony WM1Z. It should be lower because: it does not support usb audio and it does not support Tidal or Qubuz streaming service. Under usage, it should be 7, not 10. At the top end of the market, a rich feature set is important. For the asking price of usd 2700.00, it is a given that you have to make the DAP as useful as possible specially when its much lower priced rivals are more feature-rich. It is 2018 already. Sony ignored Tidal and Qubuz. That is unforgivable in my book.

pretty much the same reason I've stayed away from the WM1a for so long.

 

[nc8000]

Mm...I disagree with the ranking of the Sony WM1Z. It should be lower because: it does not support usb audio and it does not support Tidal or Qubuz streaming service. Under usage, it should be 7, not 10. At the top end of the market, a rich feature set is important. For the asking price of usd 2700.00, it is a given that you have to make the DAP as useful as possible specially when its much lower priced rivals are more feature-rich. It is 2018 already. Sony ignored Tidal and Qubuz. That is unforgivable in my book.

Re: based on my 1 hour side-by-side audition, using the Fourte and PWAudio 4 wire 1960s cable, I agree that the SP1000cu (more musical) just edges out the SS version (more analytical) and both are significantly superior to my Ak380cu in the sound department. It was an easy audition..

Totally disagrer with this. At any level top priority should be sound. Sony has focused on making the best possible player for playing on board music files. Personally I have absolutely no use for usb dac or streaming services and believe that including them quite possible could have affected the sq of the player for the worse.

 

[raypin]

Mm...oh I agree, sound is very important but since the ranking also took into consideration usage which I took to mean as utility (just how useful the devices are), I opined my disagreement. Also, you do realize that the A&K ecosystem of products is way superior to Sony’s. That should account for something.

My point is the A&K players are already excellent (and apparently are superior to the WM1Z) but it could do much more than the best of Sony.

 

[originalsnuffy]

This is helpful. I think there is a similar thread for IEMs and while I don't always agree I get some good ideas from that.

I tend to live in the bottom third of the group, and within two or three spots I would agree on the general ranking.

I have the sneaking suspicion that the HiBy R3 is going to give the price value equation a severe kneecapping when it comes out as it will likely place ahead of the Shanling M3S.

The Shanling M0 based on various reports will also upset the apple cart.

 

[liquidrats]

Any idea if you will look at Oriolus DP100 into this list? The DAP is not readily everywhere tho..

 

[1TrickPony]

Any idea if you will look at Oriolus DP100 into this list? The DAP is not readily everywhere tho..

I'd say the sound is definitely mid tier; the user interface and options are lower tier.
I'm happy with mine since I'm not big on streaming music.

 

[liquidrats]

t

I'd say the sound is definitely mid tier; the user interface and options are lower tier.
I'm happy with mine since I'm not big on streaming music.

Thanks! sorry to ask, if you think this can be compared with m3s (apart from usability or even battery life) in terms of sound alone where it stands against m3s or even dx200..

 

[1TrickPony]

t

Thanks! sorry to ask, if you think this can be compared with m3s (apart from usability or even battery life) in terms of sound alone where it stands against m3s or even dx200..

Lol. Not the best to ask since I don't own the others you've mentioned.

I can do a comparison with an X7 but that might take a while with my schedule. I prefer it over the Shanling m5. I've been using my Opus #1 even less with my Oriolus v2 since owning the dp100 for the last couple of months. I find the dp100 a lot more forgiving with most recordings.