Obscure Chinese DAPs

[Juan Antonio]

Have you tried using it as usb dac with mobile phone? I dont care about wifi since will be using with local files but how it pairs and compared to dongle dacs? Better due to highend DAC chip?

Hi, yes, not work.

The local player is the only feature that work in in my Z5.

 

[EMPORIUS]

All, long time lurker from chi-fi IEM thread here. I have smashed my Cowon Plenue D2 and was looking to buy a new one but found out that company went bankrupt. I have been using Cowons for over 15 years, but now is the time to look at something new.

I will be using it on the go mostly with my local HD FLAC files. Preference for neutral cold sound - can always make it warmer/bassier with EQ or by choosing right IEMs. What I absolutely need
- Compact (definitely below 200 grams and ideally within 100x65x17 but can be flexible)
- Long battery life (ideally 20hours+)

Preference (but not mandatory)
- Balanced output
- Physical buttons
- Under USD 400

Don't care
- OS / UX
- Bluetooth
- Streaming
- Apps
- Look

It appears to be not easy to find anything close to Cowon Plenue D2 in terms of size / battery / sound quality, but I will take closest approximation.

Thanks a lot.

F.Audio FA4

 

[RedHarlow]

I need your help guys.

I got my A12Pro and I'm satisfied with it but is there a general problem regarding max volume on these android devices??

On my Ruizu A55 I had a big amount of volume left. I was listening at 70 or something. Max volume on the Ruizu is 128.

I tried the A12 pro with my Soundmagic E11C any with my Sennheiser HD280 pro.

Same problem.

 

[Nimweth]

All, long time lurker from chi-fi IEM thread here. I have smashed my Cowon Plenue D2 and was looking to buy a new one but found out that company went bankrupt. I have been using Cowons for over 15 years, but now is the time to look at something new.

I will be using it on the go mostly with my local HD FLAC files. Preference for neutral cold sound - can always make it warmer/bassier with EQ or by choosing right IEMs. What I absolutely need
- Compact (definitely below 200 grams and ideally within 100x65x17 but can be flexible)
- Long battery life (ideally 20hours+)

Preference (but not mandatory)
- Balanced output
- Physical buttons
- Under USD 400

Don't care
- OS / UX
- Bluetooth
- Streaming
- Apps
- Look

It appears to be not easy to find anything close to Cowon Plenue D2 in terms of size / battery / sound quality, but I will take closest approximation.

Thanks a lot.

Try Xduoo X20. Cool neutral sound, excellent resolution, balanced output, physical buttons.

 

[Dustry]

Thanks everyone keeping the thread alive. I have compiled a short list of DAPs that could replace my Cowon Plenue D2 which has a screen so broken it stops responding to touch. Initially I thought I would have to go for a more expensive model (after all, Cowons were cheap for what they were) but after reading hundreds of pages, dozens of reviews and tens of youtube videos, I have concluded that all truly portable DAPs are in budget or low-mid segment which is helpful (to my wallet). Smaller DAPs also seem to never be flagships which means they are harder to find and if they are sold out, they are gone forever. Anyway, if anyone is looking for a small DAP with good battery life that is still hifi, here you go. Remember, I am focused on compact size, battery life and sound quality (latter usually comes with a flexible enough EQ). Balanced output and physical buttons are strongly preferred . Everything else doesn't matter much (UI, streaming etc.)

SHMCI C4

Price: 50-70 USD
Easy to find: yes, new available on Aliexpress; I understand it is available under different names in European and US amazon shops too
Pros: 60 hours playback (better than Plenue D2 and almost as good as Plenue D...), reasonably compact
Cons: mixed reviews with regards to sound quality, no balanced output, seems like doesn't support SD card larger than 128GB. Objectively the ugliest one on the list.

Hidizs AP80PRO

Price: ~100-150 USD
Easy to find: yes, new available on Aliexpress
Cons: truly compact, amazing look and build, balanced output, reportedly great sound quality
Pros: battery better than modern flagships but still disappointing (<10 hours with balanced output, ~13 hours with single-ended)

Onkyo DP-S1

Price: ~200 USD if you can find it
Easy to find: no, but I saw some options on ebay that recently closed so if you monitor, I am sure you can pick it up
Pros: small, balanced output, reportedly great sound quality and build, battery life of 15 hours is decent
Cons: old model, like 7+ years old? I can't explain why it is a disadvantage, but I feel like Asian hi fi improves quite quickly and I suspect newer models are much better. Granted, I may be wrong. Otherwise, seems like a no-brainer choice.

Cowon Plenue D2

Price: used to be 300-400 USD
Easy to find: I couldn't
Pros: my favorite DAP ever. Small, great crystal clear neutral sound, JetEffect is the best EQ engine I have ever come across, 40+ hours battery, balanced output
Cons: I have been with Cowons for nearly two decades. Now that company is bankrupt, I may as well try something new instead of chasing old Cowon models. Also, SD card size is limited to 128GB which is not a major problem but still slight annoyance.

Sony NW-A306

Price: ~400 USD
Easy to find: yes, everywhere
Pros: reportedly great sound quality and features, battery is 20 hours or more
Cons: quite a bit more expensive than majority of this list, DAC used unknown (if exists at all?), no balanced output, still on a larger side.

HiBy R3 Pro Saber 2022 Winner so far

Price: used to be ~200 USD
Easy to find: no but with some luck can find second-hand
Pros: small, reportedly great sound quality and build, advanced EQ including proprietary engine, really small, balanced output, battery seems decent (15 hours balanced, 20 hours unbalanced)
Cons: ???

P.S. Shanlings have interesting options but it seems like they have many models that tick some of my boxes and no model that ticks all. M3X is too big to be truly portable, M2X is smaller but has poor battery, and entry-level models (e.g. M0) are too basic even for my frugal taste in portable audio. I didn't shortlist some other brands that are popular here (xDuoo, Aune, Zishan, Surfans etc. also Cayin, iBasso, FiiO) because they are either too big or battery life is too short, and both are very strong requirements for me.

Unless I come up with any new thoughts, I will go for Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022.

 

[EMPORIUS]

Thanks everyone keeping the thread alive. I have compiled a short list of DAPs that could replace my Cowon Plenue D2 which has a screen so broken it stops responding to touch. Initially I thought I would have to go for a more expensive model (after all, Cowons were cheap for what they were) but after reading hundreds of pages, dozens of reviews and tens of youtube videos, I have concluded that all truly portable DAPs are in budget or low-mid segment which is helpful (to my wallet). Smaller DAPs also seem to never be flagships which means they are harder to find and if they are sold out, they are gone forever. Anyway, if anyone is looking for a small DAP with good battery life that is still hifi, here you go. Remember, I am focused on compact size, battery life and sound quality (latter usually comes with a flexible enough EQ). Balanced output and physical buttons are strongly preferred . Everything else doesn't matter much (UI, streaming etc.)

SHMCI C4

Price: 50-70 USD
Easy to find: yes, new available on Aliexpress; I understand it is available under different names in European and US amazon shops too
Pros: 60 hours playback (better than Plenue D2 and almost as good as Plenue D...), reasonably compact
Cons: mixed reviews with regards to sound quality, no balanced output, seems like doesn't support SD card larger than 128GB. Objectively the ugliest one on the list.

Hidizs AP80PRO

Price: ~100-150 USD
Easy to find: yes, new available on Aliexpress
Cons: truly compact, amazing look and build, balanced output, reportedly great sound quality
Pros: battery better than modern flagships but still disappointing (<10 hours with balanced output, ~13 hours with single-ended)

Onkyo DP-S1


Price: ~200 USD if you can find it
Easy to find: no, but I saw some options on ebay that recently closed so if you monitor, I am sure you can pick it up
Pros: small, balanced output, reportedly great sound quality and build, battery life of 15 hours is decent
Cons: old model, like 7+ years old? I can't explain why it is a disadvantage, but I feel like Asian hi fi improves quite quickly and I suspect newer models are much better. Granted, I may be wrong. Otherwise, seems like a no-brainer choice.

Cowon Plenue D2

Price: used to be 300-400 USD
Easy to find: I couldn't
Pros: my favorite DAP ever. Small, great crystal clear neutral sound, JetEffect is the best EQ engine I have ever come across, 40+ hours battery, balanced output
Cons: I have been with Cowons for nearly two decades. Now that company is bankrupt, I may as well try something new instead of chasing old Cowon models. Also, SD card size is limited to 128GB which is not a major problem but still slight annoyance.

Sony NW-A306

Price: ~400 USD
Easy to find: yes, everywhere
Pros: reportedly great sound quality and features, battery is 20 hours or more
Cons: quite a bit more expensive than majority of this list, DAC used unknown (if exists at all?), no balanced output, still on a larger side.

HiBy R3 Pro Saber 2022 Winner so far

Price: used to be ~200 USD
Easy to find: no but with some luck can find second-hand
Pros: small, reportedly great sound quality and build, advanced EQ including proprietary engine, really small, balanced output, battery seems decent (15 hours balanced, 20 hours unbalanced)
Cons: ???

P.S. Shanlings have interesting options but it seems like they have many models that tick some of my boxes and no model that ticks all. M3X is too big to be truly portable, M2X is smaller but has poor battery, and entry-level models (e.g. M0) are too basic even for my frugal taste in portable audio. I didn't shortlist some other brands that are popular here (xDuoo, Aune, Zishan, Surfans etc. also Cayin, iBasso, FiiO) because they are either too big or battery life is too short, and both are very strong requirements for me.

Unless I come up with any new thoughts, I will go for Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022.

How about F. Audio FA4?I have this little tank and i am very satisfied.

 

[Dustry]

How about F. Audio FA4?I have this little tank and i am very satisfied.

I certainly considered it but at 230g and those dimensions it is beyond what I would call portable...

 

[Escudos999]

Xduoo X2S is a good little player...but has UI quirks.

 

[mmmdc]

Thanks everyone keeping the thread alive. I have compiled a short list of DAPs that could replace my Cowon Plenue D2 which has a screen so broken it stops responding to touch. Initially I thought I would have to go for a more expensive model (after all, Cowons were cheap for what they were) but after reading hundreds of pages, dozens of reviews and tens of youtube videos, I have concluded that all truly portable DAPs are in budget or low-mid segment which is helpful (to my wallet). Smaller DAPs also seem to never be flagships which means they are harder to find and if they are sold out, they are gone forever. Anyway, if anyone is looking for a small DAP with good battery life that is still hifi, here you go. Remember, I am focused on compact size, battery life and sound quality (latter usually comes with a flexible enough EQ). Balanced output and physical buttons are strongly preferred . Everything else doesn't matter much (UI, streaming etc.)

[...]

P.S. Shanlings have interesting options but it seems like they have many models that tick some of my boxes and no model that ticks all. M3X is too big to be truly portable, M2X is smaller but has poor battery, and entry-level models (e.g. M0) are too basic even for my frugal taste in portable audio. I didn't shortlist some other brands that are popular here (xDuoo, Aune, Zishan, Surfans etc. also Cayin, iBasso, FiiO) because they are either too big or battery life is too short, and both are very strong requirements for me.

Unless I come up with any new thoughts, I will go for Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022.

Something many people neglect to mention is that a lot of these cheap DAPs have a high noise floor and are absolutely unusable with more sensitive stuff (a common problem with Xduoo for example), and a lot of them have an absolutely unusable OS. Hiby for example is notorious for this. Slow, laggy, crashy, random errors and srtings that get forgotten, all around just awful. For a lot of manufacturers, like Hiby, it's really hit or miss if a particular model is good or a dud. The R3 2022 is a dud.

The Sony one is good, one caveat is that every version aside from the japanese one is super gimped in power. Who knows why, same hardware as far as I know, more or less same price. Really the power output is absolutely pitiful so I would only buy it if you import from Japan. It's pretty good otherwise.

The Hidisz one is also pretty decent, battery life is an issue though.

Another thing keeping in mind, old models will have a pretty degraded battery and you can't bet on finding replacements at all. If battery life is important to you I wouldn't buy an old player.

 

[Dustry]

Something many people neglect to mention is that a lot of these cheap DAPs have a high noise floor and are absolutely unusable with more sensitive stuff (a common problem with Xduoo for example), and a lot of them have an absolutely unusable OS. Hiby for example is notorious for this. Slow, laggy, crashy, random errors and srtings that get forgotten, all around just awful. For a lot of manufacturers, like Hiby, it's really hit or miss if a particular model is good or a dud. The R3 2022 is a dud.

The Sony one is good, one caveat is that every version aside from the japanese one is super gimped in power. Who knows why, same hardware as far as I know, more or less same price. Really the power output is absolutely pitiful so I would only buy it if you import from Japan. It's pretty good otherwise.

The Hidisz one is also pretty decent, battery life is an issue though.

Another thing keeping in mind, old models will have a pretty degraded battery and you can't bet on finding replacements at all. If battery life is important to you I wouldn't buy an old player.

Thanks a lot for the thoughts.

I ended up buying (second hand) Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022 and actually very happy about except one thing that is an apparent setback compared to all Cowons - noise floor. As you said. Except that, actually quite noticeable step-up in quality from Plenue D3 in terms of layering, channel separation, holographic presentation, general detail...

Hiby OS may seem clunky and slow after Androids but after Cowon it is still great... I feel like I moved from 1999 to 2007 at least

 

[VHariram2]

Hi, yes, not work.

The local player is the only feature that work in in my Z5.

Hi thanks sorry for late reply...ok so the only thing that works is local player...thats ok for me but how is the sound compared to common dongles now a days...is it substantially better since z5 uses premium ess chip? Planning to buy if this is better than dongles output...thanks.

 

[Juan Antonio]

Hi thanks sorry for late reply...ok so the only thing that works is local player...thats ok for me but how is the sound compared to common dongles now a days...is it substantially better since z5 uses premium ess chip? Planning to buy if this is better than dongles output...thanks.

Hi, the sound is very good, the unique problem is Zishan.

I has been returned, now have Acmee MF02S PE, marbellous DAP.

Regards.

 

[maskofsin]

Greetings everyone.

Long time lurker but I decided to create an account so I could ask this:

I have an AK70 MKII Fate ver and the lack of tidal or any streaming service is getting to me...
What are good options for android DAPs on the cheap? Preferably on aliexpress
Right now I'm using a sony 1000xm2 headphone either plugged or bluetooth (LDAC on my phone and aptxHD on my mkii)

Thanks!

 

[silverfishla]

Xduoo X2S is a good little player...but has UI quirks.

I agree, this is a great sounding and perfectly fine operating dap. If you are a Zishan type player lover, this one kind of can take the place of all those. It sounds quite good and full and uses a nice capacitor. It's smaller, lighter and made nicer than those other ones. Sounds great with earbuds.

 

[MKVally]

I need your help guys.

I got my A12Pro and I'm satisfied with it but is there a general problem regarding max volume on these android devices??

On my Ruizu A55 I had a big amount of volume left. I was listening at 70 or something. Max volume on the Ruizu is 128.

I tried the A12 pro with my Soundmagic E11C any with my Sennheiser HD280 pro.

Same problem.

Any ideas where I can get Ruizu A55 firmware from