[DarginMahkum]

Has anyone who owns this compared it to a Fiio M15? I'm sure it's a much faster DAP but i'm mainly wondering if the sound is noticeably better on the R8. Not sure if it has more powerful outputs or not...

Thanks!

I had them at the same time. Yes, both performance and sound quality are very noticeably better on R8.

 

[KevP]

That's correct. The software is not upsampling to 768K, that's just the max unfold bitrate. If the track is encoded at 24/44.1 (like many are) MQA, that's what you'll be getting.

Oh! So what's the point of MQA unfolding on the R8? I'm confused.

 

[KevP]

I'm finding the case poorly designed. It slips down slightly in use obscuring some of the forward-to--next-track button and making the volume knob even harder to access. Speaking of the volume knob, no traction on it and sometimes unresponsive.

 

[subguy812]

I'm finding the case poorly designed. It slips down slightly in use obscuring some of the forward-to--next-track button and making the volume knob even harder to access. Speaking of the volume knob, no traction on it and sometimes unresponsive.

I prefer the Dignis case on my SP2000. The leather opens on the side and you insert the DAP in the side and then folds in to seal the side and the bottom is closed with cutouts.

 

[tdx]

I had them at the same time. Yes, both performance and sound quality are very noticeably better on R8.

Thanks! Can you give me more details pls? Trying to decide if it's worth upgrading. Is the power output better on the R8?

 

[gLer]

Oh! So what's the point of MQA unfolding on the R8? I'm confused.

MQA tracks will only play back at the rate they've been encoded. The 16x unfold is the maximum MQA track resolution, though I've never seen a 768K MQA track (or PCM track) to be honest. Guess its just future proofing. If you really want to get controversial, MQA is basically a lossy high-res format. Everything above the 2x standard software unfold is technically upsampling and DSP. It's a great marketing gimmick, and not everyone is a fan. I'd rather have it than not (I use Tidal for streaming). Don't want to start any debates, just leaving it here.

 

[twister6]

I'm finding the case poorly designed. It slips down slightly in use obscuring some of the forward-to--next-track button and making the volume knob even harder to access. Speaking of the volume knob, no traction on it and sometimes unresponsive.

Sounds like your case is a bit loose. Maybe stuff it with a few pieces of paper as a spacer? Pretty tight here and I did take it out of the case a few times already. Also, volume knob has a diamond cut around it for a good grip and there is a click action as you turn in. It's not very tight, I can turn it easily with my index finger from the back of the case while holding it in my left hand, but I do feel some control since you hear the click with every turn.

 

[mwhals]

Emailed Musicteck about this dap.

 

[Shecky504]

Emailed Musicteck about this dap.

I had a great experience with Musicteck and the R8. I chose to audition first and then only needed one day to decide to purchase it They sent the unit, case and cable with the audition and then if you purchase they send the rest of the packaging which I received yesterday.

 

[aaf evo]

Mine also arrives tomorrow from Musicteck, you can’t go wrong purchasing from Andrew.

 

[KevP]

I prefer the Dignis case on my SP2000. The leather opens on the side and you insert the DAP in the side and then folds in to seal the side and the bottom is closed with cutouts.

Yes that seems much better and similar to the ddhifi case I have for my Cayin N6ii. I wonder why Dignis didn’t keep the same design.

 

[KevP]

MQA tracks will only play back at the rate they've been encoded. The 16x unfold is the maximum MQA track resolution, though I've never seen a 768K MQA track (or PCM track) to be honest. Guess its just future proofing. If you really want to get controversial, MQA is basically a lossy high-res format. Everything above the 2x standard software unfold is technically upsampling and DSP. It's a great marketing gimmick, and not everyone is a fan. I'd rather have it than not (I use Tidal for streaming). Don't want to start any debates, just leaving it here.

Thanks. Appreciate the explanation.

 

[Doctortre2481]

Any differences between the leather dignis case and the normal one besides the name ?

 

[KevP]

Sounds like your case is a bit loose. Maybe stuff it with a few pieces of paper as a spacer? Pretty tight here and I did take it out of the case a few times already. Also, volume knob has a diamond cut around it for a good grip and there is a click action as you turn in. It's not very tight, I can turn it easily with my index finger from the back of the case while holding it in my left hand, but I do feel some control since you hear the click with every turn.

Yes, it has the clicks. The problem for me, separate to the case design issue, is that the volume knob is too easy to turn. I know that sound odd, but in previous A&K daps I’ve owned, there is a solid feel to turning the knob, with the right amount of resistance. There is virtually no resistance on the R8 and that is similar to the Cayin N6ii, which I have also mentioned in the N6ii thread.

Is this lack of resistance when turning the knob designed in to the R8, or is it a fault I wonder. I’d really like to hear about the experience of others.

 

[KevP]

Any differences between the leather dignis case and the normal one besides the name ?

Oh, maybe I have the normal case with mine. Mine has the stainless steel design on the back, which I thought was the design on the Dignis case. It is a tan colour. I must admit it doesn’t smell like real leather. But so often things are described as leather these days when they aren’t.