[willyboyaudio]

Hi guys - hope you're all doing well.
I am looking to buy a budget DAP, I figured I'll ask in this thread, instead of opening a new thread.

Here's what I am looking to have in the DAP (in no particular order, but ideally all must be present):
- Must support at least the following formats: MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, APE. The other formats are considered nice bonus if supported.
- Must have screen, at least to look at songs titles, album, and artist. No need for fancy album artwork.
- Must be compatible with an amp, I have in mind to use my NX1s, which I have fixed on low gain mode. High output impedance should be no problem since it's driving thousands of Ohm impedance.
- I’d highly appreciate flat frequency response
- Reasonably stable firmware, at least not models that are known for being buggy.

I've been looking at the following, and these should give an idea of the price range I'm comfortable with (at this time)
- xDuoo X2 - I like that it has a screen, push buttons, great form factor, but I read the output is rather high, I've read some noted excess noise when paired with an amp?
- Benjie S5 - Looks like a classic choice, I think it fulfills my requirements above.
- Benjie T6 - Similar to S5, plus gapless playback which I appreciate, for listening to Pink Floyd

Maybe I just need to save up some money and go with Zishan Z3 Pro?

Feel free to give your recommendations too. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks a lot.

 

[fredhubbard2]

xDuoo X2 sounds great , better than Benjie S5 to my ears which I thought sounded grainy at high volumes. if you can find one get an agptek imp. Sounds fuller than the X2 and has a lower max vol. So benefits from amp ( I have mine paired with an NX1) . Flat frequency response and totally stable firmware too.

 

[hongky]

Which of these chinese DAP have the best line out ?
I want to connect it to my amp

TIA

 

[willyboyaudio]

xDuoo X2 sounds great , better than Benjie S5 to my ears which I thought sounded grainy at high volumes. if you can find one get an agptek imp. Sounds fuller than the X2 and has a lower max vol. So benefits from amp ( I have mine paired with an NX1) . Flat frequency response and totally stable firmware too.

Thank you. X2 sounds like a great choice. How would you compare it to Z3 Pro (AK4493)?
Thanks again.

 

[Grg95]

Thank you. X2 sounds like a great choice. How would you compare it to Z3 Pro (AK4493)?
Thanks again.

Ziku x9 sounds better than xduoo x2 and has clasic cs4398 and 20 hours batery life.but you need to try the eq presets otherwise its too neutral a litle bit unexiting (with my headphones),i have both.zishan z3 ak4493 i have on the mail but i dont know if i will open and compare or sell it...

 

[willyboyaudio]

Ziku x9 sounds better than xduoo x2 and has clasic cs4398 and 20 hours batery life.but you need to try the eq presets otherwise its too neutral a litle bit unexiting (with my headphones),i have both.zishan z3 ak4493 i have on the mail but i dont know if i will open and compare or sell it...

Thanks a lot for your recommendation. I hope to hear your thoughts on Zishan Z3 Pro.

 

[Grg95]

I have a qustion: does zishan z3 ,when used as usb dac,draws battery energy from the smartphone,or from its internal battery?i hope it draws from the smartphone since they say internal batt is only 4-5 hours!that will determin if i will keep it or sell it when it arives in the mail.

 

[DomXMiami]

I ordered it a week ago, should be here sometime in the next week or so. Let you know what it’s like when I get it...

If you have been using it, could you please give specs on any sd cards you have successfully used with it?

 

[Grg95]

.you wont believe this.zishan z3 pro ak4493,i had opened refound dispute weeks ago...
It was declared invalid.
TODAYispute judjement:valid,full refound sent 44,60$.
TODAY:Tracking status updated,at local post office waiting to be colected hahahaha,didnt even pass trough customs despite being above greece's tax limit.
So:
Comparison with ziku x9 and fiio m3 pro (shipping right now)on it s way
Thank you ali for the "gift" (i feel a bit guilty although,realy)

 

[jamng]

At this point I'm convinced that most people are better off using the cheapest phone they can find with expandable storage and a USB-C port, plugging in a dongle with verified performance, booting up UAPP or another music player with exclusive output and PEQ, and calling it a day.

How can you tell if the music player has exclusive output?

 

[Grg95]

Ok...
I have zishan z3 ak 4493 for free(refound)
Right now charging...get ready for comparison with ziku x9 batle of the sub50$ titans!and like i said,fiio m3 pro coming also
Now with ath m40x ,soon to buy ath msr7 to see what these daps really are capable of,not to say that m40x are not EXELANT.
...i am realy exited will the fio m3 pro sabre dac surpass the ak 4493 of zishan and cs4398 of ziku,of course the amps implementations are factors,lets see

 

[Grg95]

ZISHAN Z3PRO vs ziku x9 first impressions:
Zishan)
1This thing is LOUD and powerfull.
2The sound seems like a digital blast in you face,all frequencies clear and forward,no BS kind of sound,especialy bass and mids are a pleasurable pounch in my face,clear,powerfull precice impactfull.bassy sound but not "organic"quite digital sound with normal amounts of treble,and a bit unforgivable treble i would say...highs extension a bit lacking,custom eq almos making up for it.
Love it!
Now compared to my ziku x9:
Soundstage is wide like ziku.extends more towards subbas,ziku more towards the highs.soundstage is deep ALMOST like ziku.but the depth is not as TRANSPARENT and delicate,by a litle bit.
The mids are more FORWARD than ziku. but ,not more airy smooth and transparent,like with ziku?edit:if you reduce the second bass band on custom eq,the treble extends and breathes better,and the mids become equal to ziku PLUS more forward!the problem was too much bass!)
It has unlimited song suffle,ziku 4000 limit.
Now where the ziku tends to win the contest quite a bit:
1True analog organic DEEP VIBRATING soundstage.
2CRAYZY treble extension and quality giving so much air for the recording to breathe.
3highs just extend more,you hear the highhats and stuff stuningly crystal clear
3less pounch in the bass than zishan more dry,but more CLEAR for sure.
ZIKU:ANALOG ALIVE VIBRANT NEUTRALITY
ZISHAN Z3:A DIGITAL NO BS BLAST TO BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT,IN A GOOD WAY,MORE POWRFULL AMP ALSO SUPOSE IT CAN DRIVE HIGHER OHMAGE headphones than my m40x...less batery life,no song limit
It comes down to a matter of taste,i still prefer ziku over zishan pro,but i suspect it will realy grow on me ,crazy for the price of (0$)since i got a refound,but crazy for the price of 45$ just like ziku.if you want maturity buy ziku if you want FUN and dynamism buy zishan.
Guys,i hope i am halpfull!
I will try them with ath msr7 when i buy them and compare again!
Thank you
Note(ziku is used with 2017 firmware an rock eq preset for the comparison)
Edit:the zishan works as a usb dac with android,unlike ziku in my experience.
Edit2:as far as the classic xduuo x2 goes ( i used to own,gifted it to my sister)i would not bother with these players around now...
It sounded similar to ziku x9 (nice and neutral)but inferior in all levels except power output.ziku can get as loud anyways with rock eq preset for some reason in my experience,don know,ziku becomes a SUPER player with rock eq preset they should have tuned it like that in the first place...
LAST EDIT(HOPEFULLY)playing around with these players eq settings especialy zishan s custom eq...ITS OFICIAL:THEY ARE EQUAL!
HINT:Whana know how to make it sound super sexy?"I eq the bass (raise the first subbas eq band.the second eq band bass,lower a quite a bit so that the exessive bass does not "dumpen" the treble extansion and clarity ,raise the highs(the last eq band full and the third from last almost half).now the treble extends and breaths beter,something that was lacking at first and the mids become equal to ziku mids but more forward!
Just buy zishan Pro for the POUNCH,IMPACTFULL POWERFULL NO BS SOUND AND FORWARD MIDS it has.i thought it lacked treble extension but if you reduce the bass a bit in eq the treble reveals itself ,although it does not reach ziku x9 treble perfection levels ,by a liiiiitle bit although.
Or buy ziku for the delicate tranceparent
neutrality it offers,i love both equaly!thats it❤

 

[darmanastartes]

How can you tell if the music player has exclusive output?

You'll get a popup asking whether you want to let the app use the USB device, at least with UAPP.

 

[Grg95]

Guys cmon tell me what you think its messy but i extracted a lot of information on the sub50$ players here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/obscure-chinese-daps.720512/post-15702767

 

[alex5908]

New DAP Van gogh V5.
http://www.shenzhenaudio.com/van-gogh-v5-portable-hifi-nondestructive-player-128g.html
What do you think ?

Hi XVortex,
Could you add the following feature to the Temptec V1 firmware? With the latest FW (1.5) after starting the player you have to press the pause button for music to start playing. Could you change the FW for the player to start playing songs immediately after V1 is loaded?