[RSC08]

So, I just bit the bullet and got a ZX300 and I have a pair of XBA-N3APs coming in.

Question now is: what balanced cable to get? Should I go for the Sony combo and opt for the MUC-M12SB1 or do you guys think the FiiO LC-4.4D would do the trick?

I live in Europe and I prefer a cable with an L plug, cause I plan on using it while commuting, so any suggestions you wanna give, please also take that into account, as customs are a pain in the proverbial ass.

 

[416805]

i just bought ex800st

while waiting for it to arrive, i've been thinking about daps

wonder which one i should choose between zx300 or m11

anyone ever compare the 2? and how does it pair with the ex800st?

 

[Leetransform25]

i just bought ex800st

while waiting for it to arrive, i've been thinking about daps

wonder which one i should choose between zx300 or m11

anyone ever compare the 2? and how does it pair with the ex800st?

I've never used the M11 before but from what I've heard it's a serious bang for your buck, and some even consider it to have better SQ than the ZX300 (This is subjective though). Apart from sonics, if you like an Android based DAP or stream music often, M11 might be a better choice. If you'd like something more pocketable with long battery life, ZX300 is probably more up your alley. Can't go wrong with either, though.

 

[HeartOfSky]

Not knowing which player is playing is the most important part of the test. When I first had both players I also thought I could hear a clear difference. My gf thought so too. She 100% thought the wm1a sounded better. Then I did a blind test and she picked the zx300 3/4 times.


Doing a blind test is a scary thing because it means putting aside your bias and ego.. the thought of having to admit to yourself that maybe the more expensive thing doesn't sound better. It's a necessity if you want to discover the truth of the matter, though, which is what's most important.

I'm sure enough about there being no discernable difference that I sold my wm1a. The only thing I miss is the battery life.


Part of me is scared to do a blind test between my phone and zx300. I'm somewhat certain that I won't be able to hear a difference there either.. and then I'll have to come to terms with the fact that maybe I did all that DAP research and spent money for no reason!

Well.. Not no reason.. It's nice to have a separate device for music, but the audiophile ego is a fragile and bloated thing.

Rather than blind tests, which I regard as somewhat silly here, I'd rather someone get up properly on a psychedelic and then do the detail comparison. A huge aspect of our ability to discern sound is the attention our brains can dedicate, at any given moment. A single stray train of thought can diminish our ability to perceive detail in sound. Waking up from a power nap leaves us with better hearing sensitivity than what is normal for us during the day.

I'm more interested in someone putting their brain into a properly calibrated state to run a real comparison.

 

[Malevolint]

Rather than blind tests, which I regard as somewhat silly here, I'd rather someone get up properly on a psychedelic and then do the detail comparison. A huge aspect of our ability to discern sound is the attention our brains can dedicate, at any given moment. A single stray train of thought can diminish our ability to perceive detail in sound. Waking up from a power nap leaves us with better hearing sensitivity than what is normal for us during the day.

I'm more interested in someone putting their brain into a properly calibrated state to run a real comparison.

Yooooo lmao I can't tell if you're serious.

 

[HeartOfSky]

Yooooo lmao I can't tell if you're serious.

Most definitely for real.

 

[touzeen]

Most definitely for real.

Are you saying we'll soon see "Audiophile" grade weed complete with a Hi-Res sticker?

 

[HeartOfSky]

Are you saying we'll soon see "Audiophile" grade weed complete with a Hi-Res sticker?

That would be hilarious. But I'd only be willing to buy it if it were 100x the retail price for non-audiophile grade weed.

 

[Malevolint]

Are you saying we'll soon see "Audiophile" grade weed complete with a Hi-Res sticker?

He sounds like he means audiophile lsd lol.

 

[superuser1]

i volunteer to be the test subject

 

[candlejack]

So, I just bit the bullet and got a ZX300 and I have a pair of XBA-N3APs coming in.

Question now is: what balanced cable to get? Should I go for the Sony combo and opt for the MUC-M12SB1 or do you guys think the FiiO LC-4.4D would do the trick?

I live in Europe and I prefer a cable with an L plug, cause I plan on using it while commuting, so any suggestions you wanna give, please also take that into account, as customs are a pain in the proverbial ass.

Is there something wrong with the stock cable? I'm of the opinion that spending similar amounts on the headphone and cable makes no sense, since one is a (supposedly) complicated piece of equipment, while the other is (just) a wire.

Basically, it's a matter of getting the most out of the money you spend and my distribution of budget is something like: 60% (headphone), 30% (dap), 10% (others: cable, tips, etc). This way I feel like I'm on a similar point of the value curve for each component.

 

[416805]

I've never used the M11 before but from what I've heard it's a serious bang for your buck, and some even consider it to have better SQ than the ZX300 (This is subjective though). Apart from sonics, if you like an Android based DAP or stream music often, M11 might be a better choice. If you'd like something more pocketable with long battery life, ZX300 is probably more up your alley. Can't go wrong with either, though.

i decide to go with zx300.

the UI looks better and the battery life is great.

i don't really stream my music since im gonna use my own libary.

unless i manage to demo M11 i might get the zx3pp the demo i tried its really good.

 

[RSC08]

Is there something wrong with the stock cable? I'm of the opinion that spending similar amounts on the headphone and cable makes no sense, since one is a (supposedly) complicated piece of equipment, while the other is (just) a wire.

Basically, it's a matter of getting the most out of the money you spend and my distribution of budget is something like: 60% (headphone), 30% (dap), 10% (others: cable, tips, etc). This way I feel like I'm on a similar point of the value curve for each component.

Nothing wrong with the stock cavle that comes with the N3AP, but... it's 3.5mm. One of the reasons I bought the ZX300 was the 4.4 balanced out and that's why I need a 4.4 balanced cable.

 

[Ryokan]

i decide to go with zx300.

the UI looks better and the battery life is great.

i don't really stream my music since im gonna use my own libary.

unless i manage to demo M11 i might get the zx3pp the demo i tried its really good.

With decent iem's, or even headphones, the Zx is sonically a very worthy dap, imo.

 

[candlejack]

Nothing wrong with the stock cavle that comes with the N3AP, but... it's 3.5mm. One of the reasons I bought the ZX300 was the 4.4 balanced out and that's why I need a 4.4 balanced cable.

Oh, that makes perfect sense then. I was looking for a cheap 4.4mm solution and found this resource very useful. But you have to be careful, even with "cheap" Chinese cables, at some point the prices becomes quite high and you still run the risks of poor QC. But I think you can find nice options there for 50 Euro.