What a question. I'd go Da3, ES100 (for variability and different DAC implementation and amp staging), Da2. Da2 is is like Da3 light, so same sig but not as good. For the record, I'm a warm presentation fan. LDAC does not equal wired hi-res, but it's the best bluetooBl implwmwnimplem and is wholly acceptable as a good enough alternative for non-high end application. 4 filters and 10 band eq is awesome. Regarding your statsmwst of not being able to hear the difference with flac, I also notice you use poweramo, meaning Android SRC is still handling the handover of the audio. My device is pure bit-perfect, so I'm able to here little differences better Because the Android system is not touching the files at all. Just saying. Sabaj DACs are more neutral with sparkle. The DA3 with it's dual Q2C DACs and lack of compression is definitely the winner. USB-C is able to output enough power to power the DA3 without issue, but without bit-perfect playback, the differences aren't as clear. listening to Da3 on my bit-perfect z3 vs my Galaxy s9 was nowhere near the same. With s9 sounded better than from s9 but staging, sparkle, mid presence wasn't nearly as good, wide, as from my Z3. UAPP will do a better job with your locally stored files
Ok. Then I guess it's Da3 and ES100 for me to try out!! lol
Well when you say LDAC doesn't equal wired Hi-Res, do you mean that in terms of "numbers" or in actual AUDIBLE differences
you yourself have noticed?? lol
Yeah I've been through this with others here on Head-Fi. I don't know why ppl still say that, but the fact is, the Quad DAC is FULLY enabled when I'm using Poweramp. So I don't understand why ppl still think the Snapdragon chip is at play here?
The Quad DAC, when enabled, handles all audio playback duties itself. That is the whole point of having it. On other phones I WOULD agree with you, but not in this case. (You can actually enable/disable the Quad DAC setup in Settings, and it only shows up when you plug in via the headphone jack.)
I compared Poweramp with UAPP using nearly equal EQ settings, and I COULD NOT hear a difference, and I really tried too. And yes, I have great hearing. lol I've seen the stats, talked to ppl on here who know way more about audio than I ever will, and have done my own blind ABX tests. So I purposely downsample all my Hi-Res files to AAC for that very reason, and they sound just as great. No differences at all (just as long as it stays above mp3-level). But everyone's entitled to their own opinion. lol
Yeah the Z3 which I also had I believe had a Dual DAC setup, and was a great sounding phone for its time! From what I found out just earlier today, the Samsung phones are a two-sided coin. The ones in the U.S. are crap for sound b/c they only use the DAC found on the Snapdragon chip, which is integrated, which you and I know is NOT an audio-friendly word. lol Meanwhile, the international ones all use Exynos chips. But the important difference there is those Exynos-based Samsung phones all have either Wolfson or I believe the newer ones use Cirrus DACs and also have stronger amps than the U.S. versions as well. I would LOVE to get an Exynos-based Samsung phone to try it out, but the issue is those phones don't work 100% with the U.S.-based networks, so reception quality would be diminished, which is unacceptable to me. So that's why I don't buy them, and also, that's why I don't get the newer Sony phones either: same reason! They are too cheap to certify VoLTE with T-Mobile here, and so, I get no access to Band 12, which is like one of the strongest bands, if I use their phones. Even though I REALLY LOVE Sony Xperia phones (I owned yeah the Z3 and later X Performance, which was just ok), that is too much to give up. My LG V30 is awesome though so whatever I guess. lol
"With s9 sounded better than from s9"...............come again? lol
Thanks for the info!