[Smugsie]

I'm fairly new to the DAP world, my current source is the FiiO X5 and E12. My other dac/amp is an odac/o2.
However the FiiO X5 is harsh in the upper mids with grainy treble and my E12 has a fairly narrow soundstage. In my opinion.
So this is what I'm looking for:

1. Must have a USB DAC feature
2. Less than 600USD including tax (if possible, let me know of alternatives, also willing to buy used)
3. Minimum ~3 hours battery life

 
I also use an ER4S, IE80 and VE Zen. I'm just looking for an all in one solution if that even exists...

 

[haimaki]

The Questyle QP1R should fit this bill, but is a bit expensive at around 900 USD.

 

[Smugsie]

I decided to go with the Cayin i5, which costs 500USD, yay "savings"...

 

[NoteEater]

NEC 3, you might want to check Massdrop today. The N5 was up there for I believe $260. Still active.

 

[NoteEater]

Oops. Sorry. You meant i5. Different DAP. Still a great deal on an N5.

 

[Smugsie]

Thanks, will definitely check it out!

Edit:

Taken from PinkPower's review:

If you haven’t gathered by now, I still prefer my trusty X5 Classic over the Cayin. It has a smoother sound, perhaps a little wider staging and depth, and superior layering. Only by a small margin, mind you. After the N5’s 2.0 firmware, they possess more similarities than differences. The only areas the N5 champions over the X5 are in looks and its physical interface—buttons and wheel. I would love to add balanced output to that list, except the hissing corrupts any benefits balanced might provide the listener.

Hmph. Well I'll be leaving this thread on idle for now and looking for a good deal on something. Thanks to your advice NoteEater I realized I would have spent the equivalent of a Beyer T1 Tesla which is way out there in the hifi end, something even my desktop rig isn't up to par yet. I'll keep looking and will notify what I decide on getting. I've removed the requirement of being able to power my HD600 since it's quite extreme, so I'll stick to my E12 amp for portable use.

It doesn't change the fact that I dislike the lack of smoothness and forced upper midrange energy of the X5 though.

 

[Smugsie]

I gave up on trying to drive the HD600's on the go. It seems kind of ridiculous now that I think about it.

I ended up getting an AK Junior (pairing it with Senn IE80) this morning and waiting for it to come in the mail. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[sledgeharvy]

  I gave up on trying to drive the HD600's on the go. It seems kind of ridiculous now that I think about it.

I ended up getting an AK Junior (pairing it with Senn IE80) this morning and waiting for it to come in the mail. Thanks for the help everyone.

You could've also gone with the Shanling M5, or the cheaper M2, they both have fantastic smooth sounds, definitely notice a big difference between them and the Ibasso DX80.. The A&K AK Jr is great as well. I am considering the Fiio X7 or something else that I can stream Wi-Fi with.