Returning Audio Junkie - Lossless Portable Options

[OspreyAndy]

And so after over 10 years of hiatus I am back into portable DAP/IEM options.

I used to own and loved this setup:
- Apple iMod 5.5g
- MiniBox E+ or XIN SuperMini
- Etymotic ER4-P with S options (recabled with silver wires)
- FLAC files all around
- Silver/Copper ICs
* and also have an alternate rig with baby STAX (heavily modified)

Obviously technology have changed since then and now I al looking at plethora of digital options and wireless does not seem primitively mundane anymore yes?

I have decided that I still like the Etymotic signature and will get myself the newer ER4-XRS, at least that's decided. Considering that we live our lives with our Android phones on daily basis, I will opt to keep using my Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro 5G (256gb) as the source.

Now what I have in mind are:
- Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro 5G (256gb)
- Tidal with Lossless Hi-Fi Subscription (downloaded and not streamed)
- Cayin N3 Pro (because I crave the mobile Tube experience) with LDAC connection to my Mi 10T Bluetooth
- Etymotic ER4-XRS

So the question is, will these still give me true lossless experience?

PS: My listening preference are into Indie/Rock/Electronic/Industrial/Britpop. And I also want to avoid plunging into the analytical gear indulgence too much, I want to stay enjoying the music, not the gear

Thanks!

 

[Roseval]

LDAC has 3 rates, 300/600/900 kbs
CD=1411 kbs.
If you can force LDAC to use 900, it might sound pretty transparant but is not able of course to transmit e.g. 24 / 96 kHz lossless.

Android phones often resample everything to 48 kHz.
Maybe use a USB dongle like https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...hifi-pro-usb-c-phone-dongle-dac-review.10423/

 

[moskwiz]

In addition to the above, you'll also need to circumvent Android's own resampling on the software side, by using an app with a separate USB driver. For example UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro), which has a Tidal integration. I have a very similar setup - Smartphone > Tidal HiFi > UAPP > Zorloo Ztella MQA > Headphones

I guess forced LDAC can get closer than ever before to good SQ in a wireless setup, but wires still reign very much supreme.

 

[OspreyAndy]

In addition to the above, you'll also need to circumvent Android's own resampling on the software side, by using an app with a separate USB driver. For example UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro), which has a Tidal integration. I have a very similar setup - Smartphone > Tidal HiFi > UAPP > Zorloo Ztella MQA > Headphones

I guess forced LDAC can get closer than ever before to good SQ in a wireless setup, but wires still reign very much supreme.

Hey thanks, all in all if I am being OCD about it I will just load all FLAC into the N3 Pro and not have to worry about losing anything

 

[Deolum]

Is this a giga trollpost?

You want to run a tube DAP with bluetooth to a smartphone and from there to your IEMs?