[NAD Fi]

Relative to flagship Android DAPs from other brands – Cayin, HiBy, iBasso, A&K, Sony – its on the "affordable" end:

Sony WM1ZM2 ($3699) = A&K SP3K (4x AKM4499EX, $3699) > iBasso DX320 MAX Ti (4x ROHM, $3499) = Cayin N8ii (2x ROHM, $3499) > HiBy RS8 (R2R, $3299) > Shanling M9 Plus (4x AKM4499EX, $2959)

All those DAPs are overpriced and do not make another overpriced dap a good deal. The only DAP on that list I would stretch my budget for are the Sony and A&K, and only because I know they don’t have those crazy low manufacturing cost of China made DAPs.

I have to do my part to fight inflation otherwise I will soon be priced out of this hobby.

 

[Shanling]

Why do you need a quad DAC 8 channel design? Does it have any benefit in the audible range? Of course, other than the competition also having a quad DAC designs. The dual DAC 4499EX desktop designs have such excellent measurement values that are far below any audible range, that makes me wonder why a portable design which needs to efficiently use every electron out of the battery needs that configuration. I am not trolling but genuinely asking to understand the reasoning behind. Is it to simplify the amplifier design? Do you have any measurement data to support your choice?

Does Wavelet work on your system or do you have a system level PEQ?

It's a concept we introduced on a portable player with our M6 Ultra. The core idea is each DAC takes care of its own channel when running balanced. It comes from older days when it was used on our high-end CD players with balanced output.

We have no systemwide EQ.

 

[audionewbi]

The early impression from China is positive. I wanted to ask how the Ak4191 implemented. What type of over sampling is enabled? Is a default setting, or do the end user have access to select it.

 

[MarkPharaohII]

Looks good, although Android 11 in Q2 2023 is quite bad. I do appreciate the design, especially with how rounded it is. The SP3K is awful to ever hold or pocket with how sharp the edges are.

 

[purk]

All those DAPs are overpriced and do not make another overpriced dap a good deal. The only DAP on that list I would stretch my budget for are the Sony and A&K, and only because I know they don’t have those crazy low manufacturing cost of China made DAPs.

I have to do my part to fight inflation otherwise I will soon be priced out of this hobby.

The $3699 Sony NW-WM1ZM2 is now made in China. In fact, all of current Sony DAPs are. It still look and feel ultra expensive.

 

[Surf Monkey]

Looks good, although Android 11 in Q2 2023 is quite bad. I do appreciate the design, especially with how rounded it is. The SP3K is awful to ever hold or pocket with how sharp the edges are.

Is any Android player on anything newer than 13?

 

[DarginMahkum]

It's a concept we introduced on a portable player with our M6 Ultra. The core idea is each DAC takes care of its own channel when running balanced. It comes from older days when it was used on our high-end CD players with balanced output.

Exactly, that would mean one DAC per channels which is two DACs. Looking at the design of SP3000, it looks like 2 DACs for balanced mode, and two DACs for unbalanced mode. I assume you have a similar design.

All those DAPs are overpriced and do not make another overpriced dap a good deal. The only DAP on that list I would stretch my budget for are the Sony and A&K, and only because I know they don’t have those crazy low manufacturing cost of China made DAPs.

Just because they have a "Made in Korea" stamp, do you really believe any of the components including the main board is made in Korea? Even if it is, do you really think it makes a crazy big difference? A&K and Sony are the reason for those inflated prices and exaggerated designs. Besides, Sony has much much bigger production facilities and would be able to achieve lower production costs than the others but it cannot, or "won't". So the main reason for those prices lies elsewhere, not in anti-China propaganda.

 

[Shanling]

Exactly, that would mean one DAC per channels which is two DACs. Looking at the design of SP3000, it looks like 2 DACs for balanced mode, and two DACs for unbalanced mode. I assume you have a similar design.

No, our M9 Plus is using a different concept. On M9 Plus, in Balanced mode, all 4 DACs are active, with Right + / Right - / Left + / Left - split between them.

So it's four active DACs on M9 Plus compared to just two active DACs on SP3000

 

[DarginMahkum]

No, our M9 Plus is using a different concept. On M9 Plus, in Balanced mode, all 4 DACs are active, with Right + / Right - / Left + / Left - split between them.

So it's four active DACs on M9 Plus compared to just two active DACs on SP3000

Thanks for the clarification. Another question: Do Wavelet and Poweramp EQ applications function properly under your Android system?

 

[Beh0lder]

No, our M9 Plus is using a different concept. On M9 Plus, in Balanced mode, all 4 DACs are active, with Right + / Right - / Left + / Left - split between them.

So it's four active DACs on M9 Plus compared to just two active DACs on SP3000

That's a total of 4 channels, what are the remaining 4 of your 8 channel design supposed to do?

 

[Shanling]

Thanks for the clarification. Another question: Do Wavelet and Poweramp EQ applications function properly under your Android system?

Sorry, not something we tested.

That's a total of 4 channels, what are the remaining 4 of your 8 channel design supposed to do?

Each DACs output is combined into one, so at the end we are dealing with 4 channels from 4 DACs.

 

[DarginMahkum]

That's a total of 4 channels, what are the remaining 4 of your 8 channel design supposed to do?

The 4499EX (and also the older ones) has mono mode, which improves some figures.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Thanks for the clarification. Another question: Do Wavelet and Poweramp EQ applications function properly under your Android system?

Not sure about M9+, but PowerampEQ works fine with my M6Ultra, with a quirk: it does not work with neither Shanling’s music app or FiiO’s music app, possibly because those have their own EQ. PowerampEQ works perfectly with Apple music and youtube though.

 

[DarginMahkum]

Not sure about M9+, but PowerampEQ works fine with my M6Ultra, with a quirk: it does not work with neither Shanling’s music app or FiiO’s music app, possibly because those have their own EQ. PowerampEQ works perfectly with Apple music and youtube though.

Thank you.

 

[MusicalDoc8]

All those DAPs are overpriced and do not make another overpriced dap a good deal. The only DAP on that list I would stretch my budget for are the Sony and A&K, and only because I know they don’t have those crazy low manufacturing cost of China made DAPs.

I have to do my part to fight inflation otherwise I will soon be priced out of this hobby.

Which one isn't made in china? Not to mention there's an old saying "you get what you pay". So you can get the dollar bin player being a cheap-o electronics, and then TOTL who are made with high tollerances.
Though there is, in my experience, a big exception to the norm with a really expensive one being absolutely embarassing....won't name the company here but you can find it in my posts.