Lurker0
Headphoneus Supremus
DX160 has a "helper" chip by Savitech, connected to Rockchip SoC via internal USB interface. Just like XMOS in the previous DAPs starting from DX80. The same chip accepts external USB connection in USB DAC mode, by the way.
So, the shortest way from an audio player software to the DAC goes via USB bus, which can be activated by my USB Audio application, from apps that support USB DACs directly (HibyMusic, Neutron, UAPP).
The second is Mango player in so called Mango OS. It talks directly to ALSA, Linux audio driver. When Savitech/XMOS chip is involved (PCM above 192kHz and DSD), Mango OS uses ALSA/Linux UAC kernel driver, which makes the path longer than direct talking to the USB bus. For PCM below and including 192kHz, the audio data is sent to the DAC via SoC's I2S bus, which may be argued as shorter path than USB -> Savitech/XMOS -> DAC, but Savitech/XMOS is a chip, dedicated for audio, unlike the SoC. At least jitter level must be better via Savitech/XMOS than via SoC's I2S.
The third place is taken by Mango Player/Neutron/UAPP, which use not so well documented Android sound path, talking to AudioTrack layer directly (meaning, not via Java API, but via C++ code). This path adds 3 steps: AudioTrack interface, then inter-process communication to the media server, then Android HAL to ALSA.
Please note: all the ways listed above transfer audio data from an app to the DAC as bit perfect! Only the app (the audio player) itself may change the initial sound, and only under end user control (via built-in EQ, for instance). Any claims that there are "software filters/libraries" in between are wrong.
Then any other app that uses the usual Java AudioTrack API, which adds one more layer to the previous path. For instance, HibyMusic uses it, but my build uses iBasso's API extension to play bit perfect PCM up to 32/384. Any other app has to use standard Android API with all its restrictions.
I strongly suggest to listen music rather than apps and interfaces, using the app that serves your needs
The real difference is so subtle, that an average brain should be able to filter it out. Just like it filters out much bigger differences that we continuously face, but just don't take into account.
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