[AnamCeoil]

The Hiby FC6 is quite good though about not getting in the way, or being all that noticeable of a physical addition to your setup. It's the only "serious audiophile" dongle I've tried that I can just treat it like it's a part of the cable. And it sounds great.

I second that about the FC6 and it's relative convenience and unnoticeability, though I have no experience with DAPs and my only other reference for a dongle (wired or bluetooth) is the Qudelix 5K- no comparison in sound quality for me, the FC6 just sounds so much more natural and lifelike, whereas the 5K sounds artificial to my ears via either bluetooth or wired (though the PEQ capability is mindblowing, and the Bluetooth quality is also very solid.

Really debated whether I wanted to get into the dedicated-player DAP world, but having the FC6 and a throwaway old phone as my transport fits my needs which are primarily streaming based so I think (hope!) that is one rabbit hole I can avoid

 

[Hypops]

This thread was resurrected just when I was thinking about this exact question. I very recently found myself in a situation where I had to use my phone dongle (Qudelix 5k) in place of my desktop DAC and amp. Eesh. Does not sound good. Got me thinking about better dongles, which then got me thinking about DAPs, which got me thinking: why do people with iPhones bother with dongles?

 

[jimboy0]

I go DAP. I want top notch sound. All tho they can be cumbersome and expensive. I don't think DAP's are that portable either. The AK2000 player weights a pound. A 2.5mm plug sticks out and makes it not so portable so I think dongles have their place

 

[BX700]

IMO there's room in the market for more super-dongle/sub-DAC/amps. Feel like DAPs' days may be numbered, because as (Android or other) devices they're limited and redundant for anyone with a smartphone. It's just that there aren't many desktop level dongles to choose from yet.

 

[Hypops]

IMO there's room in the market for more super-dongle/sub-DAC/amps. Feel like DAP's days may be numbered, because as (Android or other) devices they're limited and redundant for anyone with a smartphone. It's just that there aren't many desktop level dongles to choose from yet.

DAPs' "days have been numbered" for as long as they've existed. Clearly they meet a need that phones alone don't. I actually think it is dongles that will probably die out before DAPs do. Most dongles are too finicky and awkward for anything other than tabletop use, and at that point, why not just use a slightly larger and more capable portable DAC/amp?

Both dongles and DACs are imperfect solutions to the problem with modern smartphones: what we actually need are phones with headphone jacks again.

 

[andrewski]

My DAP (Sony) sounds better in every way on headphones.

My dongle (Audioquest) sounds better in every way on speakers

 

[BX700]

DAPs' "days have been numbered" for as long as they've existed. Clearly they meet a need that phones alone don't. I actually think it is dongles that will probably die out before DAPs do. Most dongles are too finicky and awkward for anything other than tabletop use, and at that point, why not just use a slightly larger and more capable portable DAC/amp?

Both dongles and DACs are imperfect solutions to the problem with modern smartphones: what we actually need are phones with headphone jacks again.

It was sort of an unqualified prediction of course. The stronger points I was making were that aside from audio hardware, a DAP is just a bad phone, and that the ground between the portable DAC/amp you mention and dongles is underpopulated. I mean I would like to try something like the Quloos MUBI, but I can't afford to RN. I'll be interested to see what Fiio does with the BTR line next too, they're pretty forward thinking IMO.

 

[Hypops]

It was sort of an unqualified prediction of course. The stronger points I was making were that aside from audio hardware, a DAP is just a bad phone, and that the ground between the portable DAC/amp you mention and dongles is underpopulated. I mean I would like to try something like the Quloos MUBI, but I can't afford to RN. I'll be interested to see what Fiio does with the BTR line next too, they're pretty forward thinking IMO.

You're totally right. A DAP is indeed "just a bad phone." If phone manufacturers would just put headphone jacks back on their phones, there'd be no need for DAPs. I can't believe that I'm strongly considering buying a Hiby M300, which is literally an Android phone without cel service or camera.

 

[peterinvan]

I just did a quick search on this thread for wireless. In my experience the quality of wireless earphones and wireless headphones, as well as lossless Bluetooth connections is getting better every year.

I suspect that as the wireless sound quality is as good as with wired connections, this will reduce the demand for DAPs and dongle DAC/Amps.

One major issue with DAPs and dongles is that you can't answer your phone without removing your headphone/earphone.

Enjoying my PX8s with AptX HD

 

[Hypops]

I just did a quick search on this thread for wireless. In my experience the quality of wireless earphones and wireless headphones, as well as lossless Bluetooth connections is getting better every year.

I suspect that as the wireless sound quality is as good as with wired connections, this will reduce the demand for DAPs and dongle DAC/Amps.

This can't happen until the format war over proprietary wireless/bluetooth codecs is over--and it doesn't look to be ending anytime soon.

 

[KF6GPE]

This can't happen until the format war over proprietary wireless/bluetooth codecs is over--and it doesn't look to be ending anytime soon.

I think this is absolutely true.

And on the notion that DAPs are dumb Android phones these days, I largely agree with that, up to a point. I do appreciate having software tailored for my listening, as opposed to futzing around with the rest of Android, so the skins most vendors put together are pretty good (I love my A&K). The other difference I see between most DAPs and a dumb Android phone is having a microSD card. It’s great to have all of my music on a 1TB card and just pick whatever I want to listen to. My phone would need either a lot more storage, a microSD, or both to compete.

I do look forward to some sort of great convergence of BT protocols, though — except that I imagine that Apple will always do their own thing, Apple being Apple — with some sort of lossless or near-lossless Bluetooth codec. I’m not convinced that with the best codecs that I can hear the difference anymore, though… but it would be nice to have for those who can.