[scott5526]

I just got my w3k yesterday and I began to think about upgrading my source since it seems to be the weakest part of my setup.  Right now I'm using sansa clip+ to 3.5mm to ibasso d12 to 3.5mm to Bellari HA540 to w3k with the weakest part probably being the clip.  What are some good daps up through the 500$ range? how does the hm-801 stack up?  Would it be better to use a cd player?  I don't know much about sources, sorry.

 

[KT66]

Let me get this right.
 
You are plugging a headphone output, into another headphone amp, into another headphone amp?? why?
sorry I don't know what w3K is or are.

 

[scott5526]

W3000 from audio technica. I wasn't running source to amp to amp I was running source to dac to amp. The d12 is a dac/amp but I don't usually use the amp section since I have my bellari

 

[elnero]

Quote:

I just got my w3k yesterday and I began to think about upgrading my source since it seems to be the weakest part of my setup.  Right now I'm using sansa clip+ to 3.5mm to ibasso d12 to 3.5mm to Bellari HA540 to w3k with the weakest part probably being the clip.  What are some good daps up through the 500$ range? how does the hm-801 stack up?  Would it be better to use a cd player?  I don't know much about sources, sorry.

 
 
Quote:

W3000 from audio technica. I wasn't running source to amp to amp I was running source to dac to amp. The d12 is a dac/amp but I don't usually use the amp section since I have my bellari

 
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you're Clip + doesn't have a digital output, you're essentially going from the headphone output of the Clip + to the line input of the amp in the D12 then back out to the amp of the Bellari. Basically triple amping your headphones.

 

[elnero]

.

 

[scott5526]

Didn't know that lol. Always thought that my computer USB to my d12 sounded a lot better than my clip but I attributed that more to my computer using flac

 

[elnero]

So now the question is, what is your intended usage?

 

[scott5526]

Something that can take the place of my computer hopefully. I'll mostly be using it around the house but it would be nice to have something that's easy to move around for when I go out on the weekends.

 

[NZtechfreak]

Galaxy S3? Already confirmed working with your D12 via USB audio.

 

[scott5526]

No s3 but I do have s2. Can it do flac?

 

[NZtechfreak]

Quote:

No s3 but I do have s2. Can it do flac?

 
S2 isn't a good DAP, poorly implemented DAC and no support for USB audio sadly. It can do FLAC though, yes.
 
Since you prospectively have a budget for a DAP you could always upgrade to the S3 for use with your D12.

 

[scott5526]

This is a pretty new phone (> month) so I'd rather not upgrade it for a while =p.  

 

[kid vic]

Quote:

This is a pretty new phone (> month) so I'd rather not upgrade it for a while =p.  

You should just use the S2 as your source. It supports 32gb memory cards. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think all phones will support FLAC on the condition that the app will run it. 

 

[NZtechfreak]

Quote:

You should just use the S2 as your source. It supports 32gb memory cards. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think all phones will support FLAC on the condition that the app will run it. 

 
The S2 actually takes 64GB cards just fine provided they are formatted to Fat32 (I was one of the first people to have 64GB cards in the wild, wrote about it)
 
It supports FLAC on the stock player, and so do many other apps.
 
It is not a source worthy of the W3Ks he is pairing it with though.

 

[kid vic]

Quote:

 
The S2 actually takes 64GB cards just fine provided they are formatted to Fat32 (I was one of the first people to have 64GB cards in the wild, wrote about it)
 
It supports FLAC on the stock player, and so do many other apps.
 
It is not a source worthy of the W3Ks he is pairing it with though.

Fair enough, but isn't that what the amps are their to achieve? I meant to suggest that the OP use the S2 as portable source along side their multiple amps seeing as they have it and want to upgrade.