There are a number of DACs with batteries, which makes sense. What I wonder about though is how long these batteries last before they die, especially if the DAC is mostly kept plugged in and used in a desktop setup. This tends to be really bad for abtteries. Is this a concern at all, and what's the expected lifetime of these DACs?
As long as you have the DAC plugged in, it will work regardless of the battery loosing capacity.
If you want to use it running on battery, running down the battery and recharging will keep the battery in good running state for a long time.
And most good quality units can have the batteries replaced!
So why worry?
There are a number of DACs with batteries, which makes sense. What I wonder about though is how long these batteries last before they die, especially if the DAC is mostly kept plugged in and used in a desktop setup. This tends to be really bad for abtteries. Is this a concern at all, and what's the expected lifetime of these DACs?
Some have a switch to disable charging, like Ibasso'd DAC-HPamps. If you keep on doing the charge-recharge cycles they'll basically end up with bloated batteries.
Depends what kind of battery it uses and if it has the ability to turn off charge mode...lithium battery’s that are continuously charged or even kept in fully charged state don’t last very long. Probably best to have a setup for mobile use and a desktop setup. There are decent affordable options in both markets.
This hobby is all about putting up with the hassles in a way. And not to undermine your question; because the concept is well and good. But most audiophiles would walk 3 miles in the rain, eat ramen noodles for dinner and sleep on a bed of nails for good audio-quality. So.....replacement of a little battery is nothing to them.
Audiophiles=crazy...........but in a somewhat good way.
The coming battery apocalypse...................in 5-8 years every DAP on Head-Fi will need new batteries. Millions and millions of dollars in equipment. Get your head around that one!
This hobby is all about putting up with the hassles in a way. And not to undermine your question; because the concept is well and good. But most audiophiles would walk 3 miles in the rain, eat ramen noodles for dinner and sleep on a bed of nails for good audio-quality.
If I hadn't been eating ramen (especially when I'm too tired from work), I would have been able to spend more money on audio, though I never regretted paying $9 for each bowl.
Just look at all the squid ink and burned garlic oil.
Then I learned to make it myself (just not the exact same recipe as above), only to learn that $20 gets me around eight bowls (and a lot of dishes to wash) at home.
It doesn't look like much but after mucking around with bone broth and clear broth, the latter is a total PITA to get right - clear and yet infused with a lot of flavor, which is a problem with chicken bits - with practically the only color coming from the shio tare.
So.....replacement of a little battery is nothing to them.
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The coming battery apocalypse...................in 5-8 years every DAP on Head-Fi will need new batteries. Millions and millions of dollars in equipment. Get your head around that one!
Problem is availability though - I've seen enough posts from people who couldn't get a new battery for an out of warranty DAP (other than the Ibassos that had the swappable Samsung SGS3 battery). DAC-HPamps had some support from Ibasso before, but what few I've seen from those who tried to get service from Fiio (instead of a new one) tend to have had little luck for out of warranty (let alone phased out) DAC-HPamps.
That said, there's the charging switch. If it's fully charged just flip it so there won't be a continuous charge-recharge cycle while it's working which builds up heat (the heat from the other components while working probably adds to that in a cramped chassis). I can't even remember how long I've had my D-Zero (nearly five years I think), and I just either charge it on its own or flip on the charging switch until it's ~100% charged and then disable the charging current. Same way I don't have my laptop plugged in all the time - once it hits 99% it's off the power until it hits ~30% (and unless I desperately need to use it, I don't drain it past 30%).
Actually and amazingly better health is the ultimate audio tweak. So by eating healthy, it could in essence make cheaper gear sound way better. Think of it as the way people can get somewhat energized at concerts. They may use substances but all their doing is changing their perception state. Thus getting high quality food to elevate your mental state increases sound quality. Really the opposite of eating bad food to save up for gear.
Though I have to say I have made a bunch of silly efforts for gear.
Actually and amazingly better health is the ultimate audio tweak. So by eating healthy, it could in essence make cheaper gear sound way better. Think of it as the way people can get somewhat energized at concerts. They may use substances but all their doing is changing their perception state. Thus getting high quality food to elevate your mental state increases sound quality. Really the opposite of eating bad food to save up for gear.
Though I have to say I have made a bunch of silly efforts for gear.
Just Googled it and apparently collagen helps with hearing health. I now have a justification for drinking liquified fat on account of it coming with liquified collagen. ENT's gonna be happy, but I'm sure my cardiologist won't be. I guess it's still a net effect of "charging the old battery"
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Speaking of batteries though...if the OP really prefers to use a portable instead of a compact wall powered amp it would still be best to check threads of older products from the same manufacturer if he's going to invest in one, and get one that he can still probably get batteries for. Otherwise...stick with something cheap enough to not mourn when the battery eventually fails to charge.
Audio products have never been totally invulnerable to time. Capacitors only last 20 years. Also by the time these DAC batteries die, they will have some new Graphene DAC chips or something. The other thing someone could do is buy three back up batteries upon date of purchase.
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