It looks like @BlueA just purchased an DC-Elite and likely hasn’t received it yet let alone had time to put it through its paces with all of his earphones, music and even sources. Let’s let them get a chance to spend some real time with it and then they can give more feedback. As has been said my ears are not your ears and ultimately I’m good with that seeing some of the music/sounds folks listen to
Everyone can freely have their opinion... and mine is that the DC-Elite, especially if you provide it with an adequate power supply (PulWtop hub step-down switching) as well as an equally adequate amplification (in my case RA2BFE) rivals the best DAPs without too many problems. But as I wrote in the introduction this is just my opinion.
tldr: It's just a quality dongle, a little expensive, totl for 2024, won't replace mid-level dap.
Yep received it this morning, spend the whole day with all my stuffs and fully loving it!
Yet I'm writing to put some perspective for people thinking about getting one.
If you ear no difference between an apple dongle, a DC Elite and a 3K dap it's a benediction! you won't waste money in this hobby.
Else just know that DC Elite is a classy product that won't compete with mid-level dap but is a TOTL dongle in 2024.
If you put in the chain the same components than more high end devices hold,
well you have a ROHM dac with powerful amps and the iBasso tuning that we love.
So yes you have the same perfs than more expensive DAP that already integrate them.
The very fact that you ear a better rendition by adding components in the chains demonstrate
where you start from with a simple dongle.
tldr: It's just a quality dongle, a little expensive, totl for 2024, won't replace mid-level dap.
Yep received it this morning, spend the whole day with all my stuffs and fully loving it!
Yet I'm writing to put some perspective for people thinking about getting one.
If you ear no difference between an apple dongle, a DC Elite and a 3K dap it's a benediction! you won't waste money in this hobby.
Else just know that DC Elite is a classy product that won't compete with mid-level dap but is a TOTL dongle in 2024.
If you put in the chain the same components than more high end devices hold,
well you have a ROHM dac with powerful amps and the iBasso tuning that we love.
So yes you have the same perfs than more expensive DAP that already integrate them.
The very fact that you ear a better rendition by adding components in the chains demonstrate
where you start from with a simple dongle.
tldr: It's just a quality dongle, a little expensive, totl for 2024, won't replace mid-level dap.
Yep received it this morning, spend the whole day with all my stuffs and fully loving it!
Yet I'm writing to put some perspective for people thinking about getting one.
If you ear no difference between an apple dongle, a DC Elite and a 3K dap it's a benediction! you won't waste money in this hobby.
Else just know that DC Elite is a classy product that won't compete with mid-level dap but is a TOTL dongle in 2024.
If you put in the chain the same components than more high end devices hold,
well you have a ROHM dac with powerful amps and the iBasso tuning that we love.
So yes you have the same perfs than more expensive DAP that already integrate them.
The very fact that you ear a better rendition by adding components in the chains demonstrate
where you start from with a simple dongle.
Its a big dongle. When you take daps like the dx240, dx260, Fiio m15s, Hiby r6 Pro II and some more and add screen, battery, additional CPU/circuit for OS, you will actually find that the space left for audio components isnt significantly bigger than what you get in the Elite. So only from a hardware point of view, the Elite has enough space for audio components to compete with daps in the price range of 1000-1500 bucks. Add a great, neutral, warmish tuning and you get what people here are talking about.
Sure the AK sp1000 or sp2000 (my favs, thats why im mentioning them) for example are a small daps by todays standards and they sound better than the Elite but how much did they cost. And the Elite isnt far behind really. We are talking differences that are absolutely acceptable, even for a very critical listening sessions because the Elite sounds that good.
I just ordered the DC04Pro off Ali for $79. I guess it’ll be a couple weeks, but interested to give it a go with my iPhone.
Should be nice for when I’m on the go or on vacation and don’t want to bring the DX300 with me. My two fav IEMs are my U12Ts and IER Z1R, will be easy to take something like that with when I need to pack light vs dx300 with its case and my ear buds.
If I really like it, and use it a lot, I’ll take the plunge for an elite. But at $79, it’s a much lower price to test out. I also have an LG V40 that isn’t too bad when I want to travel light, but it’s no DX300 either.
I just ordered the DC04Pro off Ali for $79. I guess it’ll be a couple weeks, but interested to give it a go with my iPhone.
Should be nice for when I’m on the go or on vacation and don’t want to bring the DX300 with me. My two fav IEMs are my U12Ts and IER Z1R, will be easy to take something like that with when I need to pack light vs dx300 with its case and my ear buds.
If I really like it, and use it a lot, I’ll take the plunge for an elite. But at $79, it’s a much lower price to test out. I also have an LG V40 that isn’t too bad when I want to travel light, but it’s no DX300 either.
@RIGATIO have you, who know Astell & Kern well, had the opportunity to try the AK HC4? I wanted to try an Astell & Kern dongle but it seems that this latest model almost doesn't exist... there's no reviews, there's no mention of it, few have listened to it and it's strange because the brand should be excellent (I've never listened to an A&K) and the price is really inviting. Have you heard anything about it? Even though I don't think it can be compared to the DC-Elite... but I wanted to try it, without wasting money obviously if it's not worth it.
@RIGATIO have you, who know Astell & Kern well, had the opportunity to try the AK HC4? I wanted to try an Astell & Kern dongle but it seems that this latest model almost doesn't exist... there's no reviews, there's no mention of it, few have listened to it and it's strange because the brand should be excellent (I've never listened to an A&K) and the price is really inviting. Have you heard anything about it? Even though I don't think it can be compared to the DC-Elite... but I wanted to try it, without wasting money obviously if it's not worth it.
Sorry but i havent heard this one. I dont think it would be any better than the Elite tho. I would pick the Elite over the AK sr35 dap which is very nice sounding but isnt as good as the Elite IMHO. The sr35 sounds nice, with a lot of precision in notes and separation also having warmish timbre but the Elite does these things as good while having grander soundstage (maybe being very slightly behind with the precision but the AK is well known for having the most accurate, studio like sound). So i dont think that the HC4 would be interesting for somehone who already owns the Elite.
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