Is the microSD on a DAP for external files?

[piglet]

Hi

I have a question about how files are stored on a DAP. This might be a very silly question because the only DAP I've ever owned was the original iPod Touch a number of years ago, then after that I've been using my iPhone as my DAP.

Okay so the question is about how the storage is used. If we take for example this DAP:

https://astellnkern.co.uk/products/a-ultima-sp2000t

There is 256 GB of inbuilt storage and 1 TB max available on the microSD.

Is that microSD only for external files or can it be used, for example, to store the files downloaded by a streaming service such as Apple Music?

I use Apple Music on my iPhone and it is using a bit more than 256 GB of space but my iPhone has 512 GB available so this is not a concern.

If I got a DAP and used Apple Music then I'd like to have this collection of downloaded files but obviously with 256 GB available that will be a problem.

So, if I add the microSD card can that be used to expand the storage available for Apple Music or any other streaming service?

Thank you!

 

[msing539]

Is that microSD only for external files or can it be used, for example, to store the files downloaded by a streaming service such as Apple Music?

So, if I add the microSD card can that be used to expand the storage available for Apple Music or any other streaming service?

The microSD card can be used to store downloaded music from a streaming service as long as the app allows changing the storage location. I don't use Apple Music so can't answer that one, specifically.

 

[piglet]

The microSD card can be used to store downloaded music from a streaming service as long as the app allows changing the storage location. I don't use Apple Music so can't answer that one, specifically.

Thank you for your response.

In fact I would like to continue using Apple Music so I'd be grateful if someone with Apple Music on Android could say whether you can change storage location with the app.

 

[anandgiridhar]

Yes, this should be possible for apple music.

To be safe, just confirm with the Support of the DAP you are planning to buy, as well as by searching the forums of that dap here.

 

[mpty]

I am using Apple Music app on an Android DAP, and in the settings in the app you can pick if you want to download to the device or SD card.

 

[BS5711]

I have three Android DAPs of two different brands and I use Apple Music on all three.

They all provide a download destination option within the app, that obviously being the built in storage or the SD card.

My Shanling M3 Ultra is slow downloading files to either the built in storage of the SD card, my FiiO are much faster but none are as fast as my iPhone 15 or iPad Mini 6.

Just be aware that depending on the DAP and what model iPhone you are using the write speed might be quite different.

 

[piglet]

Thank you all for your excellent help on this.

When I buy the DAP I will get it from an online retailer with a 30 day no-questions-asked return policy, so I'll have a microSD card ready and on the first day test out the downloading of data for Apple Music.

 

[bassct]

Usually on-device memory is much faster in read/write speeds than the SD cards, thus it is much quicker at moving music files. It might not be the case with the new SD cards from manufacturers like Samsung as they have gotten pretty fast. Another thing is that SD cards are easy to move around and you can use them in DAPs, laptops, cellphones.