I agree, the DAC sounds much worse than any source DAC I use with the NX2. This includes all the iPhones and I devices (which I suppose makes sense) and the Dell XPS 13 laptop. Most definitely the AP60 MKii which is far and away the best of my devices in terms of sound quality. The DAC onboard for the NX2 has zero oomph and presents a very thin and clinical sound with an unimpressive stage. If that’s anyone’s cup of tea, I’m not trying to judge however, but I prefer a more musical sound with layering and separation, etc.