[Loftprojection]

Hello, I know what I'm asking below may not be something that a lot of you have really tested but hey, this community is all about helping each other so I'll ask anyway.

I love Apple Music and always use my iPhone or Macbook via USB to feed my 2 DACs (Orchid and iDSD). However this doesn't maximize sound quality since USB connectivity is not the greatest. Even if its not as convenient, I get better sound when I use my cheap Node2i coax out to my DACs.

Since I want my source/transport to be easily "transportable", not portable, seems like my only solution is a DAP with a coax out connection. Please don't suggest I get a DDC box, I've have enough boxes as it is.

Now I want to maximize sound quality without spending a fortune on the DAC/AMP section of a DAP which I will not really use anyway.

So unless one of you surprises me with a "DAP" that is only a source/transport, which DAP do you suggest I get that is able to run Apple Music app, 1Tb SD card and most important has a good sounding coax out connection?

Many thanks.

 

[gylyf]

The cheapest (all around $450-500) Android-based DAPs to feature coax out are, to my knowledge, the iBasso DX170 (via 3.5mm), the HiBy R6 iii (via USB), and the Fiio M11S (via 3.5mm). I can't speak to how much better or worse 3.5mm out might be when compared to the USB coax out of the HiBy player. I also can't speak to how much better the dedicated coax out on my DX320 might be compared to these cheaper DAPs, but I'm skeptical of the difference being that noticeable.

I know you said no DDC, but for your use case, I might also consider something like the DD ddHiFi TC100S. Compact and would allow you to use your iPhone or Macbook:

https://audio46.com/products/dd-ddhifi-tc100s-usb-c-to-digital-coaxial-converter

 

[Loftprojection]

The cheapest (all around $450-500) Android-based DAPs to feature coax out are, to my knowledge, the iBasso DX170 (via 3.5mm), the HiBy R6 iii (via USB), and the Fiio M11S (via 3.5mm). I can't speak to how much better or worse 3.5mm out might be when compared to the USB coax out of the HiBy player. I also can't speak to how much better the dedicated coax out on my DX320 might be compared to these cheaper DAPs, but I'm skeptical of the difference being that noticeable.

I know you said no DDC, but for your use case, I might also consider something like the DD ddHiFi TC100S. Compact and would allow you to use your iPhone or Macbook:

https://audio46.com/products/dd-ddhifi-tc100s-usb-c-to-digital-coaxial-converter

That's a cheap interesting gizmo, thanks. The DX170 is indeed an interesting option for its price point. Hopefully some here will have done some testing of the coax out from these "cheaper" DAPs because a high end DAP is out of the question for me.