[Leo-]

Thanks for the answers. In starting to get slightly concerned, in few weeks I'll go on holidays and if the unit is delivered in between it will be simply returned...

 

[CactusPete23]

One idea... If the AP200 is not detecting resistance between say 8 and 600 ohms, it may default to no output. (This is why mine does not show the headphones when the aux is not connected to anything,) Try inserting a aux cable into your car stereo... What resistance do you measure with an ohm meter on the other end between the common and right, common and left ? Should be in that 8 to 600 ohm range I would think

Also can continuity check your aux cables, but doubt all ( or any) are bad.. Just and easy check... Ohm meter should read close to 0 when you connect probe to tips, on both ends, the move both probes up to next set of rings, and again.. That way you check the 3 wires

Writing this for someone that might not know how to do this... So please don't take offense for that.... You probably know more about electronics than I will ever know.

@wiski @CactusPete23
Thanks, I'll try later on today. From what Cactus said, it sounds like it's a problem with plugging in order. Much appreciated.

By the way, if I'm connecting the ap200 via Bluetooth to a BT receiver, then connecting the receiver to the car via aux cable, am I losing the value of the dac inside the ap200?
The way I understand it, Bluetooth can only send digital signal from the ap200, which is converted by the receiver to an analog signal (?). Mine's a no-brand receiver so presumably has a very cheap dac in...
An aux cable from ap200 to car direct should sound better?

Sorry for noob question...

Bluetooth output bypasses the DAC in the AP200. You get the dac in the receiver , and a good "mp3 quality" sound at best.

I don't think order of startup, or cable insertion matters. At least not on my AP200..

 

[teegee17]

Writing this for someone that might not know how to do this... So please don't take offense for that.... You probably know more about electronics than I will ever know.

Bluetooth output bypasses the DAC in the AP200. You get the dac in the receiver , and a good "mp3 quality" sound at best.

I don't think order of startup, or cable insertion matters. At least not on my AP200..

Many thanks.
Yes, you initially guessed correctly - no ohm meter to hand, and wouldn't know how to use one if I did... But I understand what you're saying!
I'll try a few things and see how it goes.

 

[wiski]

Really wish that this guy had a lower output impedance. Aesthetically and price-wise, this is my favorite Android powered DAP that isn't a Sony running Android 4.X.

Of course, 5.X is pretty darn old now. Can't wait until another company implements LDAC via Android 8.

Supposedly the Essential PH-1 will support it, although it maxes out at 128gb (minus the OS).

https://www.reddit.com/r/essential/comments/7d5oju/ldac_confirmed/

Unless maybe the DAC they're developing for the phone (attaches on the modular ports) also allows for expanded storage...

 

[reginalb]

Supposedly the Essential PH-1 will support it, although it maxes out at 128gb (minus the OS).

https://www.reddit.com/r/essential/comments/7d5oju/ldac_confirmed/

Unless maybe the DAC they're developing for the phone (attaches on the modular ports) also allows for expanded storage...

Yeah, my Pixel XL supports it, too. But I'm moving to a different carrier and an S8+ soon.

 

[CactusPete23]

Many thanks.
Yes, you initially guessed correctly - no ohm meter to hand, and wouldn't know how to use one if I did... But I understand what you're saying!
I'll try a few things and see how it goes.

IF you live in the USA, you can get a free Volt/ohm meter with a coupon and any purchase at Harbor Freight Tools. It works fine for this type of simple electrical troubleshooting... I'm no electrical expert, but being able to do simple checks at home, and on the car, can save you some grief.. and money.

Does your bluetooth receiver have an aux input that you could plug the ap200 into with aux cable? Worth a try... Audio may be better than using wireless bluetooth; but not as good as direct connected to the car stereo...
Which the AP200 should be able to do!

 

[almarti]

Thanks, I'm on a similar boat except that I only care about a pure transport function. Perhaps I don't quite understand, but I thought that in Hiby mode the Ap200 would bypass the default Android audio drivers, am I mistaken?

You are right, but Tidal is my source and I can't move offline encrypted Tidal files to Hiby so I depend on 3rd party apps over Android.

 

[almarti]

You are right, but Tidal is my source and I can't move offline encrypted Tidal files to Hiby so I depend on 3rd party apps over Android.

Replying to myself. Even I am not sure Tidal gets benefits of dual DACs

 

[dlayman]

Many thanks.
Yes, you initially guessed correctly - no ohm meter to hand, and wouldn't know how to use one if I did... But I understand what you're saying!
I'll try a few things and see how it goes.

I don't have the unit so I have no way of knowing, but is there any setting which configures the headphone jack as either headphone out or line out? If so, the line out might need to be selected. I wouldn't think, but could be wrong, that there would be some protection circuity kicking in here. Driving the preamp stage of a car stereo is a load even a cheap smartphone can do. A DAP shouldn't need protective circuitry dealing with this. I've never heard of any device that would refuse to output sound into a head unit. Would be nice if Hidizs would respond to this issue, they should know for sure. This is an interesting, if frustrating, issue.

 

[sly_in_the_sky]

Hello,

I see some backers with number between 600 or 900 having received their unit... Hope there’s not a logical chronologic way to ship units (maybe a geographic logistic?) because I’m backer 120 and still don’t have received mine.

Waiting time is not an issue, just hope that the unit is not blocked at the custom... as I didn’t received any track number and I have red here that they don’t always send track number... or sometimes not on time... A little bit confusing but let’s go on...

 

[singleended5863]

Kickstarter backer #634 here still not receive any tracking number???

 

[DjBobby]

Hello,

I see some backers with number between 600 or 900 having received their unit... Hope there’s not a logical chronologic way to ship units (maybe a geographic logistic?) because I’m backer 120 and still don’t have received mine.

Waiting time is not an issue, just hope that the unit is not blocked at the custom... as I didn’t received any track number and I have been reading here that they don’t always send track number... or sometimes not on time... A little bit confusing but let’s go on...

I have half of that number, still nothing. Also tracking says only package left, but no further status. It seems that it is very individual.

 

[reginalb]

Very good article!

I wonder how the sound will actually be with IEMs, I got quite a few low impedance IEMs to test AP200 with if I get the chance, the thing is that since @Hidizs Hk stated a few pages ago that those impedance are from the DAC, maybe the final output impedance won't be as high as it is determined by the Op-AMPs AFAIK.

I just saw this quote, and when the manufacturer of a DAP doesn't know how to measure output impedance, or why it's important that it's low for a portable player, it makes me question if they know much at all about audio engineering. It should be trivial at this point to make a transparent DAP with DSP/EQ options to give you whatever signature you want and a low output impedance. There are $100 devices that do just that. I expect that one running Android will cost more, because there is a lot more complexity involved with that venture, but it still should be easy to design something with the above characteristics.

Disappointing, I want to like this device. And even if they don't know what they're doing, it might turn out OK, after all a broken clock is right twice a day. And unfortunately, the low-impedance iems I'll be using are crazy low (UM Merlins - 12Ω) and do sometimes mess with devices that you're led to believe have very low output impedance, because it's a weird curve.

I hope someone provides some objective measurements of this guy, because I really do want to want it.

 

[reeza]

Software bugs and missing features aside... the more I use/ listen to my AP200 the less I’m impressed with it unfortunately. It’s good in the mids, but that’s about it, seem to lack that bottom end and top end detail. I enjoy listening to my iPad (using hiby & FLAC) more then the AP200. I’ve tried the the filters and playing with the EQ, just doesn’t cut it.

It will do for now, but will definitely be saving up for an other DAP in the future, something a little more established on the market and more high end.

 

[lioraclev]

hello i see it now at 17track . whats mean? its out from ge?

"Latest Event -- 2017-11-20 15:42 Returned from customs, Tbilisi sort facility, 0100"