RedHarlow
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2013
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Connect it with your WiFi.
Obscure Chinese DAPs
- Thread starter pekingduck
- Start date
MKVally
New Head-Fier
For some odd reason my 1 did not come with the WiFi option, when I asked the seller they said the manufacturer scrapped the WiFi option in the lastest models.
I found it very weird as the manual speaks about the WiFi option.
But thanks , I've searched high and low all over the net and can't find anything.
Regards
silverfishla
Headphoneus Supremus
I agree with you about the Cowon Plenue D2. That player sounded right. JetEffect is the best sounding effects player that I've heard on a small DAP. I have a TEmpoTec V6 now and since it's an Android player, I can download the JetEffect player onto it and use it like the Hiby program it came with. Although it doesn't have some of the cool options that the dedicated player had, the JetEffect player does have that "spaciousness" and separation that D2 had. So you can sort of get that D2 sound out of a good android player.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.
NotKunvinced
100+ Head-Fier
Just found this amazing item on AliExpress. Check it out! €239.95 54%OFF | Digital HIFI Music Player MP3 Dual ES9018 with DSD256 24bit/384KHz Lossless Decoding Walkman Wireless Bluetooth LDAC APTX Format
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mtxCZWI
Had anyone tried this Z9 Pro DAP?
Dual ESS9018 DEC'S, 2-way bluetooth, etc.
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mtxCZWI
Had anyone tried this Z9 Pro DAP?
Dual ESS9018 DEC'S, 2-way bluetooth, etc.
Im also interested in this one!
I always get concerned when it is also an ebook reader.
It makes me think of a poor quality Swiss Army Knife.
A lot of more affordable ChiFi has great kit but poor software.
It makes me think of a poor quality Swiss Army Knife.
A lot of more affordable ChiFi has great kit but poor software.
I ended up buying the z9pro. With coupon it ended up like 150$. I'll comment on it when I receive it.
Not a single similar priced android goof alternative on ali or where I live
Not a single similar priced android goof alternative on ali or where I live
I agree that the software in the cheaper Chinese DAPs I s pretty ordinary but the Hidizs AP80 DAPs have a very good Hiby based software system and that includes e reader and step counter for walking. I think anybody starting to pay around $150 for a “cheap” DAP shoul look at Hidizs and see if they can stretch just a bit further. They are high quality products.
Yes, people always fail to mention that and just say they "sound great". Of course the noise floor doesn't always have to be an issue but that people don't mention it is kinda bad for those who are uninformed.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
Anyway, glad you like it!
my xduoo x3 cs4398 died, is F.audio T3 an upgrade? sorry my englishF.audio T3 arrived. Such a compact musical brick.
In terms of sound, first impressions are generally positive:
1) high power (even at 3.5mm) capable of pumping in-channel planars, but it’s better to listen to them on the balance, I don’t advise something tight with 3.5, the player starts to give out, albeit barely audible, but distortions. There are two gain modes;
2) a musical presentation with a point: the bass is a little puffed up in the midbass area, the middle is a little forced and a little bit edgy, the treble has not yet understood. Submission V-shape all the same. About the similarity with the "sound of a cassette player" I can not say.
For software: also 5 points with a minus *. Everything is intuitive, everything works quickly and clearly, it turns on in a couple of seconds like cools.
* minus slapped because the control buttons do not work when the screen is off, but the off button can turn off the player if you have tight pants
Assembly: 5 points, everything is fine. The screen is responsive, but the elements are small, of course, you have to hit.
IMHO: a worthy answer to Hiby r3 and the like.
pt.2:
1) the volume level remembers at each output (3.5 / balance);
2) it can be both a receiver and send a signal to Bluetooth headphones, but the connection algorithm itself is very specific, I still don’t understand how they connecteddoes not respond to wireless headphones commands. There are codecs: AAC (and overclocked), SBC, APTX / LL / HD
3) external usb-dac(Acmee magic 4 / hiby) doesnt support
pt.3:
After a day of use, I found the following problems:
1) sometimes the first seconds of the track are bitten off;
2) there were reboots (when connecting a memory card and when connecting to a PC), but after that everything was ok;
3) if you turn on the player with headphones plugged in, the volume will be lower, you must turn on the player without headphones.
I asked the manufacturer for firmware: I only gave a link and that's it.
https://pan.baidu.com/s/1kzY_Cop_dlsT-9A_sY-CoA
pass 6666
Any questions?
kr0mka
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2015
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F.audio T3 arrived. Such a compact musical brick.
In terms of sound, first impressions are generally positive:
1) high power (even at 3.5mm) capable of pumping in-channel planars, but it’s better to listen to them on the balance, I don’t advise something tight with 3.5, the player starts to give out, albeit barely audible, but distortions. There are two gain modes;
2) a musical presentation with a point: the bass is a little puffed up in the midbass area, the middle is a little forced and a little bit edgy, the treble has not yet understood. Submission V-shape all the same. About the similarity with the "sound of a cassette player" I can not say.
For software: also 5 points with a minus *. Everything is intuitive, everything works quickly and clearly, it turns on in a couple of seconds like cools
* minus slapped because the control buttons do not work when the screen is off, but the off button can turn off the player if you have tight pants
Assembly: 5 points, everything is fine. The screen is responsive, but the elements are small, of course, you have to hit.
IMHO: a worthy answer to Hiby r3 and the like.
pt.2:
1) the volume level remembers at each output (3.5 / balance);
2) it can be both a receiver and send a signal to Bluetooth headphones, but the connection algorithm itself is very specific, I still don’t understand how they connected
3) external usb-dac(Acmee magic 4 / hiby) doesnt support
pt.3:
After a day of use, I found the following problems:
1) sometimes the first seconds of the track are bitten off;
2) there were reboots (when connecting a memory card and when connecting to a PC), but after that everything was ok;
3) if you turn on the player with headphones plugged in, the volume will be lower, you must turn on the player without headphones.
I asked the manufacturer for firmware: I only gave a link and that's it.
https://pan.baidu.com/s/1kzY_Cop_dlsT-9A_sY-CoA
pass 6666
Any questions?
I can see that there's a new firmware 5.0 uploaded on 25h of August, however I can't register a baidu account to download it. Can anybody fetch the V5.0 (default english).npg file off baidu and upload it here or somewhere more accessible? Thanks!
Last edited:
Mr.HiAudio
Member of the Trade: RIOBuds
yes
https://cloud.mail.ru/public/utzW/iYXrYDsHN
not major update, just a small fixes.
If new FW will be released - please tell me
Last edited:
Mr.HiAudio
Member of the Trade: RIOBuds
There are no significant changes, the item "about the player" has been corrected and that's it.
Found the changelog:
1. Maintenance of the system SDK; 2. Increase the default English firmware;
3. Increase menu language and song display to support multiple encodings;
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