[Koolpep]

  Out of curiousity are these two DAPs the only ones in this price and category? Is there any other DAPS i should look at as well?

Hidizs AP100
Used Astell & Kern AK100 - can be had for below $400 now...
Xuelin iHifi 960
 
Worth a look, I guess...
 
Cheers,
K

 

[goodvibes]

You can get slightly used AK100 mk2's fo $450. Not as easy to find but I'm happy I did. Of the DX90 and X5, I'd easily choose the DX90 but that's me. Opinions will vary by expectations and interfacing but the DX90 sounded a lot more right to me. None are perfect. DX90 with the latest Lurker FW is pretty right. Leaned towards the previous description with some of the FWs but to me always sounded more balanced than the X5 and is quite good with the latest FW tweaks. They're all somewhat FW sensitive. I'm not using the latest on my AK.  

 

[CJG888]

Also have a look at the Hifiman HM-650. Basically, it's a HM-802 without the USB DAC capability or SPDIF I/O (and with a simpler UI), at a much, much lower price. It's also compatible with all HM-802 and HM-901 amp cards (including balanced).

 

[Koolpep]

  You can get slightly used AK100 mk2's fo $450. Not as easy to find but I'm happy I did. Of the DX90 and X5, I'd easily choose the DX90 but that's me. Opinions will vary by expectations and interfacing but the DX90 sounded a lot more right to me. None are perfect. DX90 with the latest Lurker FW is pretty right. Leaned towards the previous description with some of the FWs but to me always sounded more balanced than the X5 and is quite good with the latest FW tweaks. They're all somewhat FW sensitive. I'm not using the latest on my AK.  

Or buy a brand-new one in Japan for $421 ( but once you have it in the US it might cost closer to $520 unless you have friends in Japan).
http://www.e-earphone.jp/shop/shopdetail.html?brandcode=000000054132&search=ak+100&sort=brandname
49,800 JPY including taxes - it even comes with firmware 2.41 and is sapphire blue.
 
Cheers,
K

 

[xriddler]

Anyone know if the fiio e18 would sound on par with a x5? As I stated I'm more for sound and storage is not much of a issue as I switch out songs all the time

 

[x RELIC x]

Anyone know if the fiio e18 would sound on par with a x5? As I stated I'm more for sound and storage is not much of a issue as I switch out songs all the time

You'd probably get more information if you posted in the x5 or e18 threads for this comparison.

Edit: From the specs the X5 has a better SNR of 115db vs 106db but has slightly less output power, 255mW vs 300mW @32 Ohms. They both have a max output voltage of 8Vp-p.

X5 is a stand alone DAP and e18 is a portable DAC/amp tailored for smartphone usage. I'd go for the X5 personally.

 

[Schro Dinger]

 

Exactly.

So you need more detailed specification like FFT chart and Output Impedance v.s. Frequency graph.

Personally I prefer DX90 for its clearer and neutral sound. Plus there is some problem on the sound-staging and orientation of X5.

I've never had an issue with sound staging or orientation with my X5, and this is in direct comparison to my full size Oppo HA-1 which uses the technically superior ESS9018 32 over the dual ESS9018M2K.

 
Oppo HA-1 is not a good reference actually and I don't think HA-1 and PM-1 worth their price. Even though it must be much better than X5 since X5 does not have a deep soundstage. It is like a plane. DX90 is not much not better than X5 when comparing to HA-1.

 

[Schro Dinger]

 

  Exactly.
 
So you need more detailed specification like FFT chart and Output Impedance v.s. Frequency graph.
 
Personally I prefer DX90 for its clearer and neutral sound. Plus there is some problem on the sound-staging and orientation of X5.

 
To be honest I find X5 more neutral than DX90. DX90 has a bit of boosted bass in comparison. 
 
 
 

The bass of DX90 is indeed a bit messed up but I mean neutral in coloring but not in frequency response. In this sense DX90 is more "true".

 

[x RELIC x]

Oppo HA-1 is not a good reference actually and I don't think HA-1 and PM-1 worth their price. Even though it must be much better than X5 since X5 does not have a deep soundstage. It is like a plane. DX90 is not much not better than X5 when comparing to HA-1.

We would have to agree to disagree on this.

 

[danielcalutul]

You won't necessarily have to use 'HD music'. I upgraded from my iPod 6 gen to the DX90 a few months ago. I was using V0 and 320 mp3 on the iPod and am still using the same files on the DX90, I have checked multiple times and did not notice any major differences between flac and mp3. Mind you, I sat down and really focused on noticing any sort of difference (with no success) that I stopped, afraid of becoming more obsessed with being an audiophile than just enjoying the music. I even tried a 24/192 file and could not hear any difference... and there is a whole lot of dirt and skepticism that there is just no benefit to higher resolution for playing back music. The signature of the DX90 along with the powerful amp are whats making most of the difference IMO and as long as your files are ripped properly from good sources, they'll sound excellent. I use Unique Melody Merlins straight out of the HO of the DX90 btw. 

read this . Maybe make sense

 

[CJG888]

It's not just about resolution and detail retrieval, it's also about tonal balance, dynamics and scale.

 

[darkwasim786]

Been away for a while, busy with university and placement.Thought i would have a look at my forum threads and realised this has had over a 100,000 views. Feeling proud. Though i still haven't had a chance to post my review of my DX90 yet. Thanks everyone. 

 

[jk47]

a note on the power of the dx90 amp.  i just got a mr. speakers alpha prime.  in a report from canjam on innerfidelity, dan clark [mr. speakers himself] said the primes were harder to drive than the alpha dogs, and he recommended a minimum of 200mw@50ohms output.  so i assumed my dx90 wasn't going to be up to it.  i had noticed, for example, that on high gain the dx90 could drive hd700's but produced a smaller soundstage than when using a more powerful amp.  the alpha primes show lower impedance, but as planar magnetics the impedance rating doesn't tell most of the story.
 
i got an ifi micro idsd, thinking that would surely be powerful enough for the alpha primes, plus would allow me to compare a different dac, and different amp by either using the dx90 only as a transport via the coax out, or using the dx90 only as a dac via the line out.
 
i won't go into the various comparisons of different configurations, but the dx90 alone, on medium gain, was as good as any.

 

[Audiotomb]

Hi, new member hear (pun intended)

I am mostly a two channel audio guy
But. I have nice iems and hd600s

My issue is trying to find a neutral and revealing source for my car audio system.

The user interface would be nice if it were touchscreen from the autos head unit usb connect, but not essential

I currently am using Ipod classics and they dont quite cut it

The rest of the system is JL Audio amps, speakers and sub (with trim volume feature to tone the bottom end down on the fly.

Not fond of the Pioneer head unit sources - Sirius/CD and the Ipod is great for selection but the weak link in the system

I am currently loading my music to a bluesound vault - any recommended format
I previously was all apple lossless

Anyway

Recommendations on a dap which would work best in this car setting are most appreciated

Thanks

Tom

 

[AndrewH13]

Hi tom, fixed line out of my X5 working well in car. Alac OK, I've converted to FLAC though. Ones a back up for other. Dx90 line out needs full volume set. Really deafened myself when using IEMs and forgotten to reset! Prefer Fiios line out anyway.