Recommendations for affordable, easy to use DAP
Feb 8, 2014 at 1:41 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 18

r010159

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I am looking for an affordable, easy to use DAP that is powerful enough to drive full-sized headphones, ones that may be up to 300-ohm. I take care of my mother who is very old and has dementia. But she can still learn how to perform simple operations, most of the time. The closer it operates to a standard tape deck or CD player, the better.  I am thinking of using the DT880s,  ATH-AD900X, or some other open back headphones.  I am open to recommendations for this too.
 
The DAP can be portable, or transportable, I dare say, like her current plug-in-the-wall "boom box". I am thinking about the Fiio X3, but I think that would be too complex for her. She has good ears and I made the mistake of letting her listen to my setup with the DT880s. Now she is calling them her own. :)
 
Suggestions will be appreciated. 
 
Bob Graham
 
Feb 9, 2014 at 9:29 PM Post #2 of 18
Anybody have suggestions?

I am thinking of trying the X3 out. I can set it up with a long playlist of music. All she would have to understand is how to use the stop and play buttons. The power button might be expecting too much of her. I wonder if the X3 can be played at the same time as it is charging?

Bob Graham
 
Feb 9, 2014 at 10:41 PM Post #3 of 18
Anybody have suggestions?

I am thinking of trying the X3 out. I can set it up with a long playlist of music. All she would have to understand is how to use the stop and play buttons. The power button might be expecting too much of her. I wonder if the X3 can be played at the same time as it is charging?

Bob Graham

It can.
 
Anything else you want to know about the X3?
 
Feb 9, 2014 at 11:33 PM Post #4 of 18
Thank you very much for replying. Is the software buggy or glitchy? Does it crash? How easy it is to upload songs to it? Have they implemented the organization by albums yet?

I am hoping I can make this work for my mother. She will be using it all day long, every day. I hope it turns out to be reliable.

Bob Graham
 
Feb 9, 2014 at 11:54 PM Post #5 of 18
Thank you very much for replying. Is the software buggy or glitchy? Does it crash? How easy it is to upload songs to it? Have they implemented the organization by albums yet?

I am hoping I can make this work for my mother. She will be using it all day long, every day. I hope it turns out to be reliable.

Bob Graham

IF your getting this for your Mother she may LIke a Cowon DAP. the Cowons are not as high quality as the X3 would be, but they have wonderful Equliazation options, and assuming your mother is going to be using mainly Mp3s the Cowon seems to be optimized for MP3 users, with a plethera of Digital Equalaztion tweaks to get mp3's sounding there best
 
plus the OS looks really nice, and should b easy to use
 
I my self like Hifiman Players but they are... very basic as far as the UI goes. Nothing special to them at all, and I organize all my music by Folder Directories so I have no need for "meta data filtering"
 
How ever I was interested in a Cowon at one point. It seemed very user friendly! 
 
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:00 AM Post #6 of 18
Consider one of the iPods because they're simple and dependable.
 
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:01 AM Post #7 of 18
  Consider one of the iPods because they're simple and dependable.

I personally think you can do better for less, but yea an iPod is very reliable and super user friendly. 
 
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:26 AM Post #8 of 18
Nothing more simple to use than a Terra Player...

biggrin.gif

 
Feb 10, 2014 at 12:29 AM Post #9 of 18
  Nothing more simple to use than a Terra Player...

biggrin.gif

Oh you, good point. But let's not tell him what it costs ;3
 
Plus does the Tera even have a line out? Or was it made for use with primarly easy to drive headphone :3 
 
Feb 10, 2014 at 2:37 AM Post #10 of 18
Thank you very much for replying. Is the software buggy or glitchy? Does it crash? How easy it is to upload songs to it? Have they implemented the organization by albums yet?

I am hoping I can make this work for my mother. She will be using it all day long, every day. I hope it turns out to be reliable.

Bob Graham


The current version is very stable (2.05?), has never crashed or hung up on me. It was hard at first as the X3 didn't want to recognize the card, but after the format (accessed from the settings menu) it worked perfectly, simply drag and drop files to the card. You can listen by playlist, album, artist, or genre.
 
Feb 10, 2014 at 7:30 PM Post #11 of 18
I have just received the Fiio X3. I ordered on Sunday and received it Monday afternoon. I turned it on to find the menus in Chinese! How do I get the menus in English? I am charging it up now.

Bob Graham

EDIT: I will now read the manual. I hope that is not also in Chinese.
 
Feb 10, 2014 at 8:44 PM Post #13 of 18
Amazon. I am a Amazon Prime member. I have never had it so good from an Internet store. Unfortunately, I do much of my business with them. The one click ordering is a killer to the pocketbook. :wink:

Bob Graham

PS: The user guide did not help. Can someone go through the button presses with me?
 
Feb 10, 2014 at 8:54 PM Post #14 of 18
Amazon. I am a Amazon Prime member. I have never had it so good from an Internet store. Unfortunately, I do much of my business with them. The one click ordering is a killer to the pocketbook. :wink:

Bob Graham

PS: The user guide did not help. Can someone go through the button presses with me?

Check the Fiio X3 thread 
 
Feb 10, 2014 at 9:01 PM Post #15 of 18
i bought a sansa clip zip refurb...19bucks on amazon.
the free earbuds that came with it sounded very good surprisingly; balance, clear n full bodied.
u can reclaim your dt880 then. :p
 

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