Rank the best sounding daps that you heard
Apr 18, 2022 at 9:15 PM Post #571 of 839
Early days with the new additions so I’d expect some changes, but current feeling is:

1. Sony DMP-Z1
2. Sony WM1ZM2 (may change - still burning in. Ranking based on OOTB impressions)
3. iBasso DX300 Max Ti
4. Shanling M9
5. Cayin N8ii (may change - still burning in. Ranking based on OOTB impressions)
6. Astell & Kern SP2000
7. iBasso DX300 Max SS
8. FiiO M17
9. Astell & Kern SP2000T
10. Cayin N6ii Ti (R01)
11. Shanling M8
12. iBasso DX220 Max
13. Sony WM1Z
14. iBasso DX300 (amp11 mk1)
15. Astell & Kern KANN Alpha
16. Sony ZX507
17. Sony A105

Quick update - gotta move N8ii up the ranks now that it’s burned in a bit more:

1. Sony DMP-Z1
2. Cayin N8ii (may change - still burning in)
3.
Sony WM1ZM2 (may change - still burning in)

4. iBasso DX300 Max Ti
5. Shanling M9
6. Astell & Kern SP2000
7. iBasso DX300 Max SS
8. FiiO M17
9. Astell & Kern SP2000T
10. Cayin N6ii Ti (R01)
11. Shanling M8
12. iBasso DX220 Max
13. Sony WM1Z
14. iBasso DX300 (amp11 mk1)
15. Astell & Kern KANN Alpha
16. Sony ZX507
17. Sony A105
 
Apr 18, 2022 at 9:40 PM Post #572 of 839
Quick update - gotta move N8ii up the ranks now that it’s burned in a bit more:

1. Sony DMP-Z1
2. Cayin N8ii (may change - still burning in)
3.
Sony WM1ZM2 (may change - still burning in)

4. iBasso DX300 Max Ti
5. Shanling M9
6. Astell & Kern SP2000
7. iBasso DX300 Max SS
8. FiiO M17
9. Astell & Kern SP2000T
10. Cayin N6ii Ti (R01)
11. Shanling M8
12. iBasso DX220 Max
13. Sony WM1Z
14. iBasso DX300 (amp11 mk1)
15. Astell & Kern KANN Alpha
16. Sony ZX507
17. Sony A105
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Apr 19, 2022 at 12:10 AM Post #573 of 839
I know this is subjective, but based on my limited experience with the daps:

FiiO M17
AK SP2KT
FiiO M15
AK SA700
 
May 10, 2022 at 3:00 PM Post #574 of 839
Cayin N8ii!! Hands down phenomenal

How would you compare N8ii versus Hiby R8? I am a bit hesitant wrt my slightly less sensitive Hifiman Arya V2 and V3. The >1w balanced output of the R8 works really well with those...
 
May 15, 2022 at 5:35 AM Post #575 of 839
based on my experience with the daps, my subjective ranking:

Sony WM1Z
FiiO M17
Shanling M8
Sony WM1A
FiiO M15
 
May 15, 2022 at 11:44 PM Post #576 of 839
Wow this is a fun thread! Love hearing you guys' impressions of different daps. So much so that i want to share my own list! (My list is composed of both demos and owned).

1. DMP-Z1 (hands down the best I've tried! Same old lush sony house sound but with better technicalities and not as warm as wm1z)
2. P6 (love the sound and how powerful it was but ui... ui was a nightmare)
3. LPGT (Was about to get one until...)
4. Cayin N8 (i preferred the lpgt when i was demoing both of them but due to my friend selling me his mint unit for just $1200 i just couldn't pass)
4. SP1000 (first totl dap i heard and pairing it with my zeus xiv made me sell my 2 other daps)
5. WM1A (my old faithful companion for the better part of 4.5 years! Kept me sane although out lockdown!)
6. QP1R (got to try this out before the sp1000 and along with my zeus xiv, just listening to the civil wars - live at Eddie's attic brought a tear to my eye literally! Wouldve put this above wm1a if it wasnt for its hissy nature).
7. WM1Z (layering is to die for but sounded too thick. Preferred its treble compared to wm1a but for the overall package wm1a is far more reasonable not to mention its basically a dumbell)

Joint in 8th
8. AK240 (very wide and very clean but it made things a bit too sterile for me
8. AK380 (warmer 240 imho)

Ive had other daps but theyre not really that notable.
 
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May 16, 2022 at 12:10 AM Post #577 of 839
Quick update - gotta move N8ii up the ranks now that it’s burned in a bit more:

1. Sony DMP-Z1
2. Cayin N8ii (may change - still burning in)
3.
Sony WM1ZM2 (may change - still burning in)

4. iBasso DX300 Max Ti
5. Shanling M9
6. Astell & Kern SP2000
7. iBasso DX300 Max SS
8. FiiO M17
9. Astell & Kern SP2000T
10. Cayin N6ii Ti (R01)
11. Shanling M8
12. iBasso DX220 Max
13. Sony WM1Z
14. iBasso DX300 (amp11 mk1)
15. Astell & Kern KANN Alpha
16. Sony ZX507
17. Sony A105
any update?
 
May 16, 2022 at 12:37 AM Post #579 of 839
Quick update - gotta move N8ii up the ranks now that it’s burned in a bit more:

1. Sony DMP-Z1
2. Cayin N8ii (may change - still burning in)
3.
Sony WM1ZM2 (may change - still burning in)

4. iBasso DX300 Max Ti
5. Shanling M9
6. Astell & Kern SP2000
7. iBasso DX300 Max SS
8. FiiO M17
9. Astell & Kern SP2000T
10. Cayin N6ii Ti (R01)
11. Shanling M8
12. iBasso DX220 Max
13. Sony WM1Z
14. iBasso DX300 (amp11 mk1)
15. Astell & Kern KANN Alpha
16. Sony ZX507
17. Sony A105
please add this as a link into your signature.
 
May 27, 2022 at 6:20 AM Post #583 of 839
1 Astell&kern SP2000CU.
.
.
2 FIIO M17 DC MODE
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3 Fiio M17 battery mode
4 ibasso DX300MAXss
5 Sony nwwm1z
6 Shanling M8
After paired the sp2000cu with Sony ierz1r this is my ranking, this iems paired with sp2000cu there is a connection with the music that is simply the best I ever heard
 
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May 27, 2022 at 5:52 PM Post #585 of 839
How do midrange daps like dx240, shanling m7, m11 plus fare against ToTL daps?

edit: corrected misspell
 
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