Recommend the best sounding DAP under $200?
Nov 3, 2022 at 1:40 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 10
gr4474

gr4474

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The title says it all. Thank you
 
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Nov 3, 2022 at 10:43 PM Post #2 of 10
anyone?
 
Nov 3, 2022 at 10:59 PM Post #3 of 10
HIby R3 Pro Saber is an excellent device. Shanling recently released 2 upgrades to its player lineup. You could get a good dongle and just use your phone. Or a BT receiver like IFI Go Blue and Qudelix5k. I dont think there was a device in that price range that stood out more than any other, they are all rather similar. It comes down to features, size, and power output.
 
Nov 4, 2022 at 11:12 PM Post #5 of 10
gr4474 said:
The title says it all. Thank you
Click to expand...

I would recommend the Sony A55 with a Mr Walkman firmware mod (free of charge).

The stock A55 is a bit meh sounding. Putting on the firmware mod increases its potential and sound fidelity. With the mod, battery life can hit almost 32 hours, soundstage/layering improves, and you can unlock region locks/volume locks, and also put 4 different sound signature in - bright, neutral and warm etc.

You can read more about the mods here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-custom-firmware-non-android.943661/ and https://www.mrwalkman.com/

I bought my A55 at around $130ish USD during sales.
 
Nov 4, 2022 at 11:19 PM Post #6 of 10
I was thinking A55 after some searching, and made this thread to see what those who know think.
 
Nov 4, 2022 at 11:22 PM Post #7 of 10
gr4474 said:
I was thinking A55 after some searching, and made this thread to see what those who know think.
Click to expand...

You can ask more in the dedicated A55 Mr Walkman mod thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-walkman-custom-firmware-non-android.943661/

A55's limitation is it ain't powerful enough for high impedance/low sensitivity gear, but for most IEMs, it should do a good job. The normal Sony house sound is buttery smooth, coloured and musical, if that's what you prefer for your music.
 
Nov 5, 2022 at 1:58 AM Post #9 of 10
originalsnuffy said:
Maybe I am really off base but just googled this unit and price was more like $230. Why am I so off on price?
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Wait for sales for the A55. I think there are some regional taxes too, it seems to be cheaper in Asia compared to Europe/US?
 
Nov 5, 2022 at 2:18 AM Post #10 of 10
You're very lucky to find a Sony DAP under $500 in Australia.
 
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