Rank the best sounding daps that you heard

[emdeevee]

AK SP3K
AK SP2KCu
AK SP2KSS
AK CA1000
Hiby RS6
AK SP2KT
AK SA700
Ibasso DX300
AK SE180
Sony WM1A
AK Alpha
Ibasso DX2220
AK SR25

Have you had a chance to tryout the Kann Max? You're clearly up on your AK!

 

[Doug2507]

Not a single AK on the list. You don't like them?

Only had one and that was the older sr25. :/

Just never appealed to me at the price point although SP3K does seem to be ticking boxes.

 

[NymPHONOmaniac]

My Hiby RS2 review is up on headfi here: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hiby-rs2-r2r-dap-surprise.26041/reviews#review-29698
I really love this DAP, its a soundstage opener and add meat to timbre, lush euphonic way. Very musical and the battery life is excellent. Line out permit to scale up the audio quality game too. Alot to like for 480$! Unless you need streaming and bluetooth.

Now i'm curious to try more non-android DAP, perhaps the Dethonray or Lotoo....any suggestion for something similar in tonal naturalness yet with crisper resolution and lower impedance output? Sub-1000$ DAPs...I have Questyle QP2R but battery life is very underwhelming...as well as power output...so my quest just begin i guess.
My biggest love affair DAP wise is still Ibasso DX90 for ex

 

[Elegiac]

My Hiby RS2 review is up on headfi here: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hiby-rs2-r2r-dap-surprise.26041/reviews#review-29698
I really love this DAP, its a soundstage opener and add meat to timbre, lush euphonic way. Very musical and the battery life is excellent. Line out permit to scale up the audio quality game too. Alot to like for 480$! Unless you need streaming and bluetooth.


Now i'm curious to try more non-android DAP, perhaps the Dethonray or Lotoo....any suggestion for something similar in tonal naturalness yet with crisper resolution and lower impedance output? Sub-1000$ DAPs...I have Questyle QP2R but battery life is very underwhelming...as well as power output...so my quest just begin i guess.
My biggest love affair DAP wise is still Ibasso DX90 for ex

There's a new Acmee MF02s on the way, the MF02s Pure Edition. Should be a more polished version of the standard MF02s.
A warm DAP with an outstanding sound.

Translate this page: http://www.acmee.cn/index.php?s=index/show/index&id=641

More info: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1221974387914138/permalink/5561243360653864/

 

[NatKate1121]

1. Zune
2. Cayin N6ii
3. Fiio x7 Mii

 

[MetalVGAnime]

Based on my rather limited experience given the vast number of DAPs I have yet to try

1. Sony WM1A (stock firmware)
2. Hifiman HM901S (with Minibox Gold amp card)
3. iBasso DX220 (with Amp 1, 7, 8 and 9)
4. Questyle QP1R
5. Fiio M7

 

[JSBachFan]

Based on my rather limited experience given the vast number of DAPs I have yet to try

1. Sony WM1A (stock firmware)
2. Hifiman HM901S (with Minibox Gold amp card)
3. iBasso DX220 (with Amp 1, 7, 8 and 9)
4. Questyle QP1R
5. Fiio M7

"1. Sony WM1A (stock firmware)"
Interesting: Do you find the stock fw better than MrWalkman?

 

[MetalVGAnime]

"1. Sony WM1A (stock firmware)"
Interesting: Do you find the stock fw better than MrWalkman?

I have heard many good things about the MrWalkman firmware but unfortunately I have not gotten around to trying my WM1A using the custom firmware for comparison purposes. I guess I've been pretty satisfied with the WM1A stock but I do plan on trying MrWalkman out at some point probably.

 

[Mad Myall]

I am trying to select a DAP for on the go listening. I did consider a portable dac/amp, but the cable between the dac/amp and phone always breaks. Plus I figured a single device might be more compact.

Originally I was going to go for the Kann Max, but at this price point I could see a lot of options, but it's hard to find comparisons with reasons as to why one is better then the other.

I had been looking at Kann Mac, M17, Ibasso 320X, Sony's walkmen, but my head started to spin. What should I get for listening to rock, metal, electronic and the such? I was thinking about using HD600, and maybe the Fostex th900MK2 for them.

 

[sanakimpro]

I am trying to select a DAP for on the go listening. I did consider a portable dac/amp, but the cable between the dac/amp and phone always breaks. Plus I figured a single device might be more compact.

Originally I was going to go for the Kann Max, but at this price point I could see a lot of options, but it's hard to find comparisons with reasons as to why one is better then the other.

I had been looking at Kann Mac, M17, Ibasso 320X, Sony's walkmen, but my head started to spin. What should I get for listening to rock, metal, electronic and the such? I was thinking about using HD600, and maybe the Fostex th900MK2 for them.

Depends on your priorities.. I'm in a similar journey and here's my ranking (copy paste from another thread) for pairing with my IER-Z1R based on optimizing for SQ and value for money:

1. iBasso DX320: all rounder with balanced ROHM dac sound, fast UI, pretty screen, reasonable price and swappable ports, but not very powerful. Likely to buy this one….
2. Shanling M9: lovely AKM sound with deep bass extension, fast UI, nice volume always on display, but not very powerful
3. Sony WM1ZM2: amazing sub-bass extension and layering, but relatively slow UI, small screen (noticeable low youtube fps) and underpowered for full-sized cans. Cost 2x of DX320!
4. Fiio M17: insane output power, all the ports you need, can second as a desktop dac/amp with clean dry sound sig but super heavy, gets warm quickly
5. Cayin N8ii: nice euphonic tube sound with many experimentation, but slightly underpowered, small lower res screen running on android 9. Cost 2x of DX320!
6. A&K SP3000: Personally haven’t tested this as not available at the time but in consideration since highly rated and using AKM chip. However, dislike closed OS system (tested SP2000T with laggy UI) and it cost 2.5x of DX320!

 

[SibilantGoose]

1. AK SP2000
2. Shanling M8 / iBasso DX240.
3. LP6000. LPGT disqualified because I don't remember how it sounds
4. Fiio M11 Plus Ltd
5. AK SE180
6. AK SE200
7. Fiio M11

I finally have auditioned DX240. It is rather neutral, detailed and oh boy it is dynamic. In some tracks, loudness kicks in so hard, your heart stops. My wife confirms this

I would say DX240 it the best value for the price DAP ever created. Hitting high end with 820-950$ price tag is astounding

1. Fiio M17
2. iBasso DX248MK2
3. AK SP2000 / Shanling M8
4. iBasso DX241MK3.
5. LP6000
6. Fiio M11 Plus Ltd
7. AK SE180 SEM2
8. AK SE200
9. Fiio M11

I have to admit Fiio M17 is way stronger technically, yet DX248MK2 synergizes better with full size headphones, like LCD-X/MM-500. Fiio M17 synergizes very well with moondrop variations pushing them 1-2 leagues above it pairing with DX248MK2

 

[psikey]

Sony WM1AM2
Sony WM1ZM2
HIBY R5II class A amp
Sony NW-ZX507
HIBY R3Pro
Sony NW-A107
Hiby R5
FIIO M11
Sony ZX2

Incoming Japanese NW-A307 (next week or so)

 

[psikey]

anyone have a best bang for your buck in 2022 for daps?

Hiby R5 Gen2 with class A amp and all 3 ports, 3.5mm, 2.5mm, 4.4mm.

Future weakness old Android OS.

 

[arftech]

AK SP3000 with Woo Audio WA8 Class A Tube Amp
AK SP2000

 

[jbbanks]

what is your guys opinions on blind hearing test from dap to dap, are the differences in most cases perceivable? Where does the law of diminishing returns come into play in blind hearing tests with current daps on the market?
I am referring to daps and In Ear Monitors specifically, not daps and there abilities to do both traditional over the ear headphones and IEM combined.