[gabrieldandrea]

Hello, I use a Fiio x1 and an IPhone 6 Plus with the Fiio Mont Blanc portable amp. My cans are the Audeze EL 8 open back. Now Im looking for an upgrade of about $400. Would I get better results with a new DAP like the Fiio x5, or would I be better off getting a better portable amp like the Oppo HA-2? I like the idea of the amp because I could use it with the iPhone wich has a so much better UI, it's so more practical with playlists and the like. Bottom line: in terms of sound quality, does IPhone + a better amp like the Oppo HA-2 = a better DAP like the Fiio x5? Any other sugestions? Thanks a lot.

 

[Kost]

You could get the centrance hifi m8, one of them is a portable amp/dac combo that works with the iphone 6, and it's probably in your price range if you buy used. (around 400). I think I've even seen a few of these used for around 350 if your patient.
 
The reason you should want a dac/amp combo is because the sound quality from the iphone 6 isn't very good even though it has a decent dac in it and the equalizer is so bad it's pretty much unusable (i dont know why)

 

[gabrieldandrea]

Thanks for the information. However, my experience with the Fiio x1 UI is awful. The songs are not sorted properly because the metadata names the files with numbers before the name of the song, so they are not listed alphabetically. The player does allow you to create playlists, but it is a royal pain, as you have to play each song, one by one, whereas the IPhone UI does it so fast with the touch screen, so there is no comparison, hence my question being only about sound quality.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Hello, I use a Fiio x1 and an IPhone 6 Plus with the Fiio Mont Blanc portable amp. My cans are the Audeze EL 8 open back. Now Im looking for an upgrade of about $400. Would I get better results with a new DAP like the Fiio x5, or would I be better off getting a better portable amp like the Oppo HA-2? I like the idea of the amp because I could use it with the iPhone wich has a so much better UI, it's so more practical with playlists and the like. Bottom line: in terms of sound quality, does IPhone + a better amp like the Oppo HA-2 = a better DAP like the Fiio x5? Any other sugestions? Thanks a lot.

 

Smartphones with DAC-HPamps and DAPs should be comparable as long as you're using the same file types (ie you don't compare low bitrate streaming or local storage to lossless files on a microSDXC card that technically would cost less than upgrading to a larger capacity iPhone, and you can use several of them), the difference is comparing which products. That said, while you get an improvement in UI on smartphones, the downside is that it's harder to use it on the go. Strapping a DAC-HPamp to a phone makes it a brick that is extremely impossible to use as a phone on the go: it won't fit in your pocket unless you wear ghetto pants, it's heavier, and you can't use a mic, so then you have to whip it out and then talk into the mic on the phone itself.

 

Basically, the better way to handle all this is to use a very high sensitivity IEM on the go so that it can get to hearing damage levels even before the audio chip on the smartphone, which means that at safe listening levels you have no audible distortion. And then if you need it to drive a headphone, use a DAC-HPamp when you're in a fixed location. And while the EL-8 doesn't need a lot of power you might want to consider a desktop unit instead, that way you can spend less for better performance albeit larger, then again you won't be lugging it around. if anything get one small enough that you can pack it in your luggage in case you want a transportable set-up.

 

Here's what I use on the road

 

 

Here's what I use at home

 

[gabrieldandrea]

Just to be clear, I use ALAC files ripped with ITunes (import CD). I see the cowon does not support ALAC.

 

[gabrieldandrea]

Thanks for the info. I don't plan to use it on the go, but I don't want a desktop either, as a want to be able to move around the house, like, seating on the couch. So the pairing with a portable amp is no problem. I do use the Fiio Mont Blanc righ now. But I understand the Oppo HÁ 2 is a much superior product, and way more expensive, hence my question, since is about the same cost of a better player than the Fiio x1 (say, the Fiio x5, or the Astell & Kern JR). No DAP can match the iPhone UI, so I wonder if getting the Oppo to pair with the iPhone would equal a better DAP. Thats the $400 question...

 

[Kost]

Actually I changed my post as you were reading it, sorry. I was thinking id just delete it all and tell you about the centrance hifi m8 since that would seem to be your best solution. As an aside though ALAC works on all modern cowon players, and the fiio x1 isn't representative of all daps. For instance on my cowon player i like to keep things sorted by folder so i just copied and pasted my file directory straight from my PC, no metadata required.

 

[gabrieldandrea]

I didnt mention I live in Brazil, so its harder and more expensive to get this high end audio stuff. The Fiio x1 was the only DAP I could get then. I do hope other brands have better UI, but the Fiio x line is the one thats easier to get here (and its still dificult and expensive). I understand the Fiio x5 is vastly superior to,the x1, but it uses the same UI, wich is, well, ****ty. And I read the Astell & kern line isnt that much better in terms of UI. Of course, for all the audio limitations, the iPhone kills in that regard.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Thanks for the info. I don't plan to use it on the go, but I don't want a desktop either, as a want to be able to move around the house, like, seating on the couch. So the pairing with a portable amp is no problem. I do use the Fiio Mont Blanc righ now. But I understand the Oppo HÁ 2 is a much superior product, and way more expensive, hence my question, since is about the same cost of a better player than the Fiio x1 (say, the Fiio x5, or the Astell & Kern JR). No DAP can match the iPhone UI, so I wonder if getting the Oppo to pair with the iPhone would equal a better DAP. Thats the $400 question...

 
If anything the HA-2 might sound a bit better than the X5, but not necessarily appreciable with your EL-8 because of their efficiency and impedance. You still get a wider choice for other headphones in the future than the X5 though.

 

[gabrieldandrea]

You probably guessed that I'm a Apple user. I used the iPhone before getting the high end audio stuff, so I need to adaptate my setup with my use of Mac, ITunes etc. but im open to get a better DAP if its the best solution. The centrance amp you mentioned is very expensive by the way, I would Never find it here in Brazil.

 

[Kost]

I was doing some looking around after I posted and found this http://www.centrance.com/products/hifi-skyn 
 
I had no idea they came out with this, but it might be what you're looking for. I've only tried the hifi m8 myself but its probably pretty good, its a dac/amp combo, 400 dollars and it works with iphone.