Obscure Chinese DAPs

[wolkegeist]

For those questions it is better to ask from this thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-opamp-thread.432749/page-440

In my experience, despite very little differences (maybe also pseudo), different size and factory/batch, NE5532 could possibly sound different.

About those opamps I mentioned:
* AD8599ARZ is detail monster but can sound too bright overall.
* OPA1612AID is also very detailed and personally prefer it over previous but somehow OPA2228PA sounded with more natural timbre and "air" in my gear implementations.
* NE5532AD sounds more analog and somewhat natural than 1612 but with less detail and resolution. As I said, this chip can actually sound very nice and depends on hardware implementation.
* About ADA4084-2ARZ I`m not made up my mind and ears enough to give proper subjective feedback but by brief listening I found myself preferring OPA2228.

Haven`t tried more expensive OPA627 / OPA 827 etc. chips... I`m not THAT opamp-freak

For what it is worth, I also made little opamp specification comparison table for myself (this is old pic, newer version is in my laptop and will update it as soon as I can):

What capacitors did You use?
Haven`t done proper research about X10 schematic yet, so, my question is - are they de-coupling or coupling caps?
Generally I prefer sound of Panasonic FC but also Vishay 038RSU and Panasonic POSCAP sound very good. They all are cheap and up to ELNA SilmicII SQ level but with lot of cheaper price and smaller form factor.
On power filtering stages I prefer to use cheap Panasonic FR usually.
Also on one pic I saw some tiny mylar/ceramic bypass caps lordered to some resistors - reason for that?

I used Toshiba 220uF 25V bipolar cap for the output, but you can use any 220 to 330 uF 25V cap that’s high quality; and 2 Nichicon 470uF 25V cap for the power input; the 2 wima red caps are feedback cap and there’s no benefit to change them. All the others small caps are for filtering ground channel and are parallel to ground leg of the op amp, or at least my friend said so. I have plan on changing the NE5532 with LT1028 and gonna add two more smd cap to the groung channel as well. I like the sound of OPA2134 and LME49720 so my mod kinda cirling around them, sounding neutral and detail.

 

[CoiL]

I used Toshiba 220uF 25V bipolar cap for the output, but you can use any 220 to 330 uF 25V cap that’s high quality; and 2 Nichicon 470uF 25V cap for the power input;

Does it needs to be bi-polar for output?

 

[wolkegeist]

Does it needs to be bi-polar for output?

There’s a positive and negative indicators on the pcb, so most likely, yes

 

[mbwilson111]

i have the ruizu a50 in red,well built machine and sounds good.i couldnt find the case.penon audio said they were discontinued as did some other sites.would have loved to have a case for this,if you find one please tell me where. thanks

That is a shame because the player is still being sold. I did a quick search and of course got the same results that you did. Maybe if someones Ruizu A50 died they would sell the case... but this thing will never die. Actually, the battery will someday... I hate to think that one day all the batteries in all my daps will die and then what? It will probably happen all at once...lol.

 

[AndySocial]

I must be dense, because I don't understand the love people shower on the Ruizu A50. The design of the hardware looks decent enough, but the interface is clunky, and it's missing every feature I want. I've grown accustomed to the lack of respect for podcasts in the recent wave of Chinese devices, but the A50 doesn't even recognize playlists. And, scrolling on the A50 through a list of folders or tracks is stupid slow. Apparently I was spoiled by the Rio Karma and Sansa Clip, and expect a music player to have features and a speedy interface. Am I missing something awesome in the A50?

 

[madnanny2]

That is a shame because the player is still being sold. I did a quick search and of course got the same results that you did. Maybe is someones Ruizu A50 died they would sell the case... but this thing will never die. Actually, the battery will someday... I hate to think that one day all the batteries in all my daps will die and then what? It will probably happen all at once...lol.

hello my goodness where do you find room for all your equipment and phones.what do your think of your akg phones?

 

[mbwilson111]

I must be dense, because I don't understand the love people shower on the Ruizu A50. The design of the hardware looks decent enough, but the interface is clunky, and it's missing every feature I want. I've grown accustomed to the lack of respect for podcasts in the recent wave of Chinese devices, but the A50 doesn't even recognize playlists. And, scrolling on the A50 through a list of folders or tracks is stupid slow. Apparently I was spoiled by the Rio Karma and Sansa Clip, and expect a music player to have features and a speedy interface. Am I missing something awesome in the A50?

No, it is not awesome but it is a well built, inexpensive, small serviceable DAP. Scrolling is ok for me because I only have a 128GB card full of Flac albums. I made folders named A-B, CDF, etc and put the albums in as sub-folders. That way I can get to an album starting with S, T... or W... or Z quite quickly. I personally don't use playlists. I don't shuffle play but for those who mainly do that it would be great. I use it when I want something small and pocket-able while working in the garden or even if I want to fall asleep to music.. it won't get damaged and I get 20 hours of battery life from it. It could never be my only DAP. For one thing, it does not do gapless play. I have others. I guess I just like new toys and still enjoy this old one.

...and yes, you were completely spoiled by the Rio Karma. It is legendary for being ahead of it's time.

 

[mbwilson111]

hello my goodness where do you find room for all your equipment and phones.what do your think of your akg phones?

well.. it is a problem. I do live in the UK now where houses are small. If you also take a look at my husband @HungryPanda 's list, you will see we have a really serious problem! Hoarders? I know that normal people sell stuff... but what would I part with?

I have not used the AKG in quite a while but I should. It is an excellent headphone. I really liked it with my desk amp and with my little tube amp. Earbuds have been taking over lately.

 

[madnanny2]

well.. it is a problem. I do live in the UK now where houses are small. If you also take a look at my husband @HungryPanda 's list, you will see we have a really serious problem! Hoarders? I know that normal people sell stuff... but what would I part with?

I have not used the AKG in quite a while but I should. It is an excellent headphone. I really liked it with my desk amp and with my little tube amp. Earbuds have been taking over lately.

see what you mean,how do you choose what to listen too.what tube amp do you use.was tempted by bravo ocean or the little bear 4?

 

[mbwilson111]

see what you mean,how do you choose what to listen too.what tube amp do you use.was tempted by bravo ocean or the little bear 4?

Sometimes I choose to listen to something because someone in the forum mentions it and I think "I need to listen to that."

This is the tube amp that I have but I don't think it is available anymore. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32315728056.html

I have it in my living room, not at my desk. I use the line out on one of my DAPs into it.

The bravo ocean and the little bear 4 are very cute and tempting, but I know I do not need more amps.

 

[madnanny2]

Sometimes I choose to listen to something because someone in the forum mentions it and I think "I need to listen to that."

This is the tube amp that I have but I don't think it is available anymore. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32315728056.html

I have it in my living room, not at my desk. I use the line out on one of my DAPs into it.

The bravo ocean and the little bear 4 are very cute and tempting, but I know I do not need more amps.

hello i was thinking of buying one of them,wasnt suggesting you buy one especially having the beauty you have.i have 2 sansa clips(had them for years,still think they sound good) a hidzis ap100 and a ap60/2 and a ruizu a50.a jds labs cmoy,my main phones are sennheiser px 100/2 and monk inears.nothing as super as you or you other half

 

[CoiL]

There’s a positive and negative indicators on the pcb, so most likely, yes

I have seen also + & - on some PCBs but with typical fixed polarity caps.

 

[mbwilson111]

hello i was thinking of buying one of them,wasnt suggesting you buy one especially having the beauty you have.i have 2 sansa clips(had them for years,still think they sound good) a hidzis ap100 and a ap60/2 and a ruizu a50.a jds labs cmoy,my main phones are sennheiser px 100/2 and monk inears.nothing as super as you or you other half

Hey, I love my Monks! I have three different colors:} A while ago I was actually considering that Little Bear 4 (the balanced version) but I decided that I don't actually need it. I just thought it was cute and wanted to play with it

 

[silverfishla]

Hey, I love my Monks! I have three different colors:} A while ago I was actually considering that Little Bear 4 (the balanced version) but I decided that I don't actually need it. I just thought it was cute and wanted to play with it

You should check out that Monoprice Thx portable amp. It drives everything great (especially my Dekoni Blues which are hard to drive well). Not to stoke your fire...
It even makes my Beyerdynamic T90 sound great.

 

[Blazer39]

have been enjoying ziku x9 recently, sounds great and everything else is acceptable, however the scrolling speed is just painful
will the update fix the issue?! and can i revert back to old firmware if didn't like the sound change?!
hopefully someone can mod these soon.