Obscure Chinese DAPs

[HungryPanda]

Cowon have repeatedly produced some mighty fine daps, with very stable software

 

[kova4a]

Cowon have repeatedly produced some mighty fine daps, with very stable software

Yeah. While newer companies like hiby, shanling and fiio have gained some traction in the pasts few years, Cowon has been around from the early days of the portable DAPs. In fact, the first iaudio DAP came out 19 years ago and it might be just a coincidence but the iaudio 9, which is the grandfather of the new iaudio hifi came out 10 years ago, so this may be perceived as an anniversary release.

In fact, I wish Sony did something like that for their Walkman anniversary. They should have brought back an older design and just updated it on the inside to give a nod to their golden age. Hell, at the very least they should have reprinted some of the old cool It's a Sony stickers anf slapped them on the new Walkmans.

I miss the old days of innovation, weird designs, controls, when things were inspired and manufacturers weren't afraid to take risks. Nowadays, with a few exception, we are at the edge of turning DAPs into smartphones and I get it, the younger generation just wants a big touch screen, a lot of power, bluetooth and streaming, but still there should be some place left for creativity and maybe a dash of quirkiness.

 

[AndySocial]

Thanks for the recommendation!

Do you think it is superior in sound quality to the Hidiz AP-60 II?

I also read that the Shanling M0, Aigo Z6 Pro, Zishan DSD, Zishan Z3 (or Z3 Pro) and the Ziku HK-X9 are recommended ... But I don't know which of these (or others) will be the best in sound quality with IEM headphones?

I have the AP60II and AP80. I am not tempted to take the AP60II out of my drawer of tech. The AP80 is much easier to navigate, and the sound is better (and more tweakable if you're into that).

 

[oneula]

The Shanling M0 is a nice device. Super small and powerful (Con - super small touch screen)
The Zishan DSD Pro is even more powerful with balanced out and sounds better especially with DSD/DSF files (Con - super basic UI no bluetooth/wifi)
I have the Hidiz AP60 and AP60 Pro they are pretty small too but I really don't use them as much

I use the M0 clipped to a wrist band like a watch for exercising with some sony LDAC earbuds

one player to also consider is the dodocool.
pretty much does everything, radio, recorder, line out and handles most file types
doesn't sound bad either

 

[mbwilson111]

(Con - super basic UI no bluetooth/wifi)

This can also be a Pro, depending on what you want. I love the simplicity of the Zishan DSD. Howver, I would not want it to be my ONLY Dap because I do have some albums that require gapless play.

 

[alex5908]

Hello everybody,
Does anybody own Tempotec V1 (not analog version)?
If so did you manage to connect it to any DAC? I ordered a special audio cable but it did not help to connect the player to Fiio BTR3 . I tried different setting in player's setting, like "Audio", "Dock" but no luck. Did anybody manage to use the player as a transport using the Type C cable?

 

[alvinlim2010]

This can also be a Pro, depending on what you want. I love the simplicity of the Zishan DSD. Howver, I would not want it to be my ONLY Dap because I do have some albums that require gapless play.

I have the Zishan DSD as well - my go-to if I want power as it definitely can push quite a lot of power, way enough for any IEM

 

[skc2047]

Hi, everyone, this is my first posting to the forum.

I have both the FAudio XS-03 and ACMEE MF-01. I would like to share some of my thoughts.

The control of both DAP are quite similar, XS-03 uses 7 buttons with the Up and Down buttons for navigation and adjust of volume, the MF-01 used 5 buttons and one knob, and the knob is also for navigation and adjust of volume. MF-01 has a neat design, better workmanship and is smaller.

UI of both DAP are rudimentary. XS-03 supports a comprehensive file types while MF-01 supports only a few (I miss the support of M4A), XS-03 supports multi-level folders while MF-01 single level. Folders in MF-01 are not sorted according to alphabetical order but order of writing to the TF card. XS-03 supports album arts and has color display while MF-01 does not support album art and has no color display. XS-03 uses dual 4493 while MF-01 a single 4490 chip.

The sound of XS-03 is fuller, and has both 3.5 SE and balanced output. XF-01 has only 3.5 single-end output, and the sound is airy, with good instrument separation and better treble. I think it is a wonder a single 4490 can give such a sound quality. The volume output of both machines is similar, XS-03 in 100 steps and MF-01 in 99 steps. I usually use a volume of 28 to 50 depending on track and the IEM.

In terms of battery life, XS-03 lasts longer, about 7-8 hours, while MF-01 only 5 hours. Both can be used as USBDAC, but I have no success with XS-03.

I have the XS-03 for more than 2 months and the MF-01 a month. The FW of XS-03 has some bugs: sometimes the music from M4A files becomes garbled, or the music is said to be playing but there is no output to the IEM. This can be solved by pressing of the Reset button. The operation of MF-01 is stable.

I bought them through TaoBao, XS-03 at RMB 688 and MF-01 at RMB 559 (not counting the 5% discount I got from the seller) which is roughly US$98 and 80. I think both have very good cost to performance ratio.

ACMEE seems to be a very enterprising company. You can see from their webpage that they continue to improve the FW. The recent update has eliminated the pop sound when changing track by pressing the Previous or Next button. The company gave same-day reply to my enquiry and use of English is okay. Reply from the seller of XS-03 is also okay but I communicated with them using Chinese through TaoBao.

I am sorry I do not know how to post the photograph.

 

[mbwilson111]

I have the Zishan DSD as well - my go-to if I want power as it definitely can push quite a lot of power, way enough for any IEM

I use mine more for my buds or my headphones. However, I have no problem using it for IEMs also.

 

[tomaster]

Yeah. While newer companies like hiby, shanling and fiio have gained some traction in the pasts few years, Cowon has been around from the early days of the portable DAPs. In fact, the first iaudio DAP came out 19 years ago and it might be just a coincidence but the iaudio 9, which is the grandfather of the new iaudio hifi came out 10 years ago, so this may be perceived as an anniversary release.

In fact, I wish Sony did something like that for their Walkman anniversary. They should have brought back an older design and just updated it on the inside to give a nod to their golden age. Hell, at the very least they should have reprinted some of the old cool It's a Sony stickers anf slapped them on the new Walkmans.

I miss the old days of innovation, weird designs, controls, when things were inspired and manufacturers weren't afraid to take risks. Nowadays, with a few exception, we are at the edge of turning DAPs into smartphones and I get it, the younger generation just wants a big touch screen, a lot of power, bluetooth and streaming, but still there should be some place left for creativity and maybe a dash of quirkiness.

Cowon is best known for reusing old leftover parts and selling them as a new DAPs tbh. This new HiFi DAP is using smartphone DAC just like Fiio M5 or Shanling M0, both priced much lower at 99$, only the difference is that the one Cowon is using has much less driving power. Talking about implementation sounds like a black magic or a snake oil, how much can you really pull from cheapest smartphone DAC? Cowon is just doing it's old thing, building cheap device and using clever marketing to sell it for more then competition.

 

[oneula]

Cowon makes nice stuff especially with JRiver and BBE.
I was gifted a D2 which opened my eyes and led me to purchase a Plenue D years back coming off being a Fiio X3 and X3-II user

I was looking at the Fiio M11 after all the slobbering reviews but after watch BGGAR's video below it seemed to make sense that an android based unit is going to eventually fall out of favor as the OS keeps getting updated and older Android devices get left behind.



I've already received warnings on several perfectly working Chromebooks that they will no longer be supported with updates and I need to "purchase" a newer device.
So the idea of a non android/ios based device and a clean and powerful DAC/Amp as needed seems to make sense.

I don't really need a DAP that has the same features of my LG V30 or iPhone XR.
I just need something affordable that produces the best possible sound in a small form factor that I can marry to a DAC/Amp like a Mojo, Q5s or Monolith THX portable DAC/Amp.
I've done the endless ChiFi IEM and DAP chasing and created my own pile of soon to be hand me downdowns like everyone one else here


Also as Najam points outs in his video



my Zishan DSD comes the closest to an affordable, all in one simple portable, while my similarly reasonably affordale Activo CT-10 and Hiby R3 gives me the streaming and offline catalogs of Qobuz or Tidal.
But right now my Revamp Acoustics Nuansa P1 player. A1 amp and Zen Omega earbuds or modded Koss KSC75s provide me the sound, power and simplicity to make me smile.
I can understand how the Altmann Tera Player developed a cult following for so many years.

 

[kova4a]

Cowon is best known for reusing old leftover parts and selling them as a new DAPs tbh. This new HiFi DAP is using smartphone DAC just like Fiio M5 or Shanling M0, both priced much lower at 99$, only the difference is that the one Cowon is using has much less driving power. Talking about implementation sounds like a black magic or a snake oil, how much can you really pull from cheapest smartphone DAC? Cowon is just doing it's old thing, building cheap device and using clever marketing to sell it for more then competition.

Are you kidding? It's all about the implementation. This has been known for ages. That's why my xduo x3 and my colorfly c10 have the same DAC inside and sound nothing like each other. That's why xduoo x3 has a pitch issue and needs rockbox to make-up for the bad implementation. That's why people will tell you that the new denthonray DAP sounds great even though there are DAPs that sound 5 times less and use the same DAC.

And I'll hardly call cowon's marketing clever. I'm not buying it because of the product page on their website, I'm buying it becasue the guy from Asnote actually measured it and and the measurements are impressive and in fact better than the ones stated by cowon.

Like I said before, it's ridiculous to argue about something we haven't heard. Don't worry, I'll bash on cowon if it sucks. But I won't go around saying that all DAPs on the market use cheap energy-efficient DACs and that's why there is no need to buy anything above 100 bucks as the $2000 DAP sounds the same and just use clever marketing. It's not like cowon is selling this thing for 500 bucks, it's still super cheap.

 

[tomaster]

Are you kidding? It's all about the implementation. This has been known for ages. That's why my xduo x3 and my colorfly c10 have the same DAC inside and sound nothing like each other. That's why xduoo x3 has a pitch issue and needs rockbox to make-up for the bad implementation. That's why people will tell you that the new denthonray DAP sounds great even though there are DAPs that sound 5 times less and use the same DAC.

And I'll hardly call cowon's marketing clever. I'm not buying it because of the product page on their website, I'm buying it becasue the guy from Asnote actually measured it and and the measurements are impressive and in fact better than the ones stated by cowon.

Like I said before, it's ridiculous to argue about something we haven't heard. Don't worry, I'll bash on cowon if it sucks. But I won't go around saying that all DAPs on the market use cheap energy-efficient DACs and that's why there is no need to buy anything above 100 bucks as the $2000 DAP sounds the same and just use clever marketing. It's not like cowon is selling this thing for 500 bucks, it's still super cheap.

Sounds like you have no idea what you are talking about, Xduoo X3 has a dedicated DAC so obviously it is gonna sound different then other DAPs built of different parts, we are talking about smartphone integrated DAC here and no Cowon is not cheap at all when competition is 99$ and Cowon is asking 168$ for the cheapest option.

Man you are pushing this new Cowon so hard you must be working for them, it might be a good sounding DAP but overpriced it is considering it's just old parts put together for few dollars.

 

[kova4a]

Sounds like you have no idea what you are talking about, Xduoo X3 has a dedicated DAC so obviously it is gonna sound different then other DAPs built of different parts, we are talking about smartphone integrated DAC here and no Cowon is not cheap at all when competition is 99$ and Cowon is asking 168$ for the cheapest option.

Man you are pushing this new Cowon so hard you must be working for them, it might be a good sounding DAP but overpriced it is considering it's just old parts put together for few dollars.

??? Wait what? |First of all, the xduoo x3 has Cirrus Logic CS4398 inside and the colorfly c10 also has it inside. And they sound completely different with the C10 being a lot better, so obviously implementations matters. Second,the cowon also has dedicated DAC - the fairly new Cirrus Logic CS43131. I don't know what smartphones are you talking about as this is a superior DAC to the ones used in the cheap shanling and fiio DAPs. And if I was working for cowon I would have already posted pictures and a hypetatstic review.

 

[tomaster]

??? Wait what? |First of all, the xduoo x3 has Cirrus Logic CS4398 inside and the colorfly c10 also has it inside. And they sound completely different with the C10 being a lot better, so obviously implementations matters. Second,the cowon also has dedicated DAC - the fairly new Cirrus Logic CS43131. I don't know what smartphones are you talking about as this is a superior DAC to the ones used in the cheap shanling and fiio DAPs. And if I was working for cowon I would have already posted pictures and a hypetatstic review.

AFAIK integrated DACs are designed mostly for smartphone use nowadays.
You are claiming that dedicated Amp doesn't add sound coloration, that's ridiculous, if you understood how DAPs work you wouldn't say that, two DAPs you mentioned use the same DAC but did you look at the Amp section? That's where the sound difference is coming from, you compare integrated DAC with standalone DAC, you can't do that, makes no sense.