Obscure Chinese DAPs

[crabdog]

My review of the Benjie T6: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/19068/

 

[groucho69]

Last week I was asking for information to Joybuy customer service about the declared shipped value, and they told me they must declare the full amount. This is the reason why I was holding off ordering the M2s. But with the good news from above, maybe I can jump in.

I asked that to a seller on another site and got the same answer but when the package came it was declared at a low value. Maybe they have to give the "correct" answer.

 

[aaDee]

There are so many options now under$200... Totally confused which one to go for.
1) Cayin N3
2) Shanling M2s
3) Fiio X3 mark 3
4) Hiditz AP200
5) Sony A35
6) HiFiMan Supermini

I'm looking for musical DAP n not flat lifeless sound. It should be easy to carry for commuting. Having equalizer is a plus but if original sound is balanced then I'm fine (detailed n good amount of bass)

 

[Dobrescu George]

There are so many options now under$200... Totally confused which one to go for.
1) Cayin N3
2) Shanling M2s
3) Fiio X3 mark 3
4) Hiditz AP200
5) Sony A35
6) HiFiMan Supermini

I'm looking for musical DAP n not flat lifeless sound. It should be easy to carry for commuting. Having equalizer is a plus but if original sound is balanced then I'm fine (detailed n good amount of bass)

You're not giving us enough details for what you need.

What do you have as headphones / IEMs ? What DAPs did you have and how did you feel about them?

I can recommend and talk about M2s, AP200, and Megamini, if you have questions!

X3-3 is still on the way, and I don't have N3, nor any Sony DAP. I'm not that enthused about Sony, being in Europe, where their volume is limited and they can't drive headpohones as well as their global counter-versions.

 

[aaDee]

You're not giving us enough details for what you need.

What do you have as headphones / IEMs ? What DAPs did you have and how did you feel about them?

I can recommend and talk about M2s, AP200, and Megamini, if you have questions!

X3-3 is still on the way, and I don't have N3, nor any Sony DAP. I'm not that enthused about Sony, being in Europe, where their volume is limited and they can't drive headpohones as well as their global counter-versions.

okay..so I have Fiio X3ii(display is not working) I like the sound signature of it. Although I feel they could have slightly more bass quantity. I had XDuoo X10 for couple of months which also died all of a sudden. I liked the mids n highs of X10 more than X3ii but bass was super flat and it had no custom EQ. So I'm looking for upgrade to both these devices. I don't like sterile or analytical sound. Have read many reviews saying that SUpermini is really good sounding but bass lacks authority and of course no custom Eq.
I dont want to carry separate amp as I mostly use DAP on the go.
My daily driver nowadays is Magaosi K3 Pro which has U shaped sound and I'm happy with it's sound. I'm not planning to invest on any other earphones now.

 

[Dobrescu George]

okay..so I have Fiio X3ii(display is not working) I like the sound signature of it. Although I feel they could have slightly more bass quantity. I had XDuoo X10 for couple of months which also died all of a sudden. I liked the mids n highs of X10 more than X3ii but bass was super flat and it had no custom EQ. So I'm looking for upgrade to both these devices. I don't like sterile or analytical sound. Have read many reviews saying that SUpermini is really good sounding but bass lacks authority and of course no custom Eq.
I dont want to carry separate amp as I mostly use DAP on the go.
My daily driver nowadays is Magaosi K3 Pro which has U shaped sound and I'm happy with it's sound. I'm not planning to invest on any other earphones now.

That's quite helpful!

I'd recommend M2s if you need it now, AP200 will be delivered in a month or so, they are still running their KS and IndieGoGo campaign, but AP200 is really cool as well.

None of the DAPs in your list isn't analytical, the most neutral being X3ii, which you own.

I have not received X3-3, so it is impossible to speak about it, but AP200 sounds pretty good (maybe a bit neutral with some warmth, the bass is quite enhanced), and m2s is said to be even more romantic and musical (the package will arrive to me in 2-3 days at most, so I can give more precise advice then)

 

[davidcotton]

You're not giving us enough details for what you need.

What do you have as headphones / IEMs ? What DAPs did you have and how did you feel about them?

I can recommend and talk about M2s, AP200, and Megamini, if you have questions!

X3-3 is still on the way, and I don't have N3, nor any Sony DAP. I'm not that enthused about Sony, being in Europe, where their volume is limited and they can't drive headpohones as well as their global counter-versions.

As long as it is not android there is the rockbox hack method to defeat the sony eu volume cap. My a35 drives a pair of sennheiser hd25-II's better than an x5-III (that's a lot of I's!) I had on trial.

 

[aaDee]

That's quite helpful!

I'd recommend M2s if you need it now, AP200 will be delivered in a month or so, they are still running their KS and IndieGoGo campaign, but AP200 is really cool as well.

None of the DAPs in your list isn't analytical, the most neutral being X3ii, which you own.

I have not received X3-3, so it is impossible to speak about it, but AP200 sounds pretty good (maybe a bit neutral with some warmth, the bass is quite enhanced), and m2s is said to be even more romantic and musical (the package will arrive to me in 2-3 days at most, so I can give more precise advice then)

Thanks for the reply buddy, will definitely consider M2s. JoyBuy has it for $135-$150(without Red option)

As long as it is not android there is the rockbox hack method to defeat the sony eu volume cap. My a35 drives a pair of sennheiser hd25-II's better than an x5-III (that's a lot of I's!) I had on trial.

That's interesting. So A35 has rockbox?

 

[davidcotton]

Thanks for the reply buddy, will definitely consider M2s. JoyBuy has it for $135-$150(without Red option)



That's interesting. So A35 has rockbox?

Sadly not. They developed a tool that lets you remove a volume cap from eu devices as long as it is not android.

 

[GuywhoLikesHIFI]

People in the Zishan Z2 thread think it competes with the N3. Worth getting at $35 anyway.

 

[mbwilson111]

People in the Zishan Z2 thread think it competes with the N3. Worth getting at $35 anyway.

I just looked at the Z2. I do not see a screen at all...how would you choose what album you want to play if you have a card full of albums. Am I missing something? I do not see how it could compete in anyway to the N3 unless someone is referring to sound quality.

Anyway, I am enjoying my Cayin N3 very much. I am using that and my little Ruizu A50 when I am moving about. I use my my Opus #1 as my source for my tube amp when I am sitting and relaxing while listening with some of my bigger headphones - the Opus is just a bit too large and heavy for me for portable use. I never intended to use it for portable use even while walking around the house. I had my Rockboxed xDuoo x3 for that. Now the x3 has been sitting unused since I got the Ruizu (and now the Cayin). I do still really like it though. Very robust and easy to use... once you get used to Rockbox and many people are used to it because of all the Sansa players.

 

[Slater]

I just looked at the Z2. I do not see a screen at all...how would you choose what album you want to play if you have a card full of albums. Am I missing something? I do not see how it could compete in anyway to the N3 unless someone is referring to sound quality.

Anyway, I am enjoying my Cayin N3 very much. I am using that and my little Ruizu A50 when I am moving about. I use my my Opus #1 as my source for my tube amp when I am sitting and relaxing while listening with some of my bigger headphones - the Opus is just a bit too large and heavy for me for portable use. I never intended to use it for portable use even while walking around the house. I had my Rockboxed xDuoo x3 for that. Now the x3 has been sitting unused since I got the Ruizu (and now the Cayin). I do still really like it though. Very robust and easy to use... once you get used to Rockbox and many people are used to it because of all the Sansa players.

So you don't want to carry around a portable rig such as this:

 

[Sulbh]

I just looked at the Z2. I do not see a screen at all...how would you choose what album you want to play if you have a card full of albums. Am I missing something? I do not see how it could compete in anyway to the N3 unless someone is referring to sound quality.

Anyway, I am enjoying my Cayin N3 very much. I am using that and my little Ruizu A50 when I am moving about. I use my my Opus #1 as my source for my tube amp when I am sitting and relaxing while listening with some of my bigger headphones - the Opus is just a bit too large and heavy for me for portable use. I never intended to use it for portable use even while walking around the house. I had my Rockboxed xDuoo x3 for that. Now the x3 has been sitting unused since I got the Ruizu (and now the Cayin). I do still really like it though. Very robust and easy to use... once you get used to Rockbox and many people are used to it because of all the Sansa players.

How is N3 comapared to xduoo x3 and opus 1?

 

[groucho69]

So you don't want to carry around a portable rig such as this:

80's portable

 

[Slater]

80's portable

haha, you know it!

Go to the street corner, lay out the breakdancing pad, set up the boom box and hang out all day with your friends. Or at least until your (8) D-batteries ran out LOL