Where to start to improve listening experience ?

[Valley]

Thanks a lot for all the answers, it's really informative !

It does seem more sensible to go for cheaper earbuds. With all the recommandations, I'd be tempted to purchase the Moondrop Starfield and the KZ ZS10 pro and see how they compare

As for the dac/amp or dap, I would use it only with IEM. If I were to buy a dac, I'd prefer if it were bluetooth for convenience. But I also really like the idea of having a dedicated dap, but I don't know if it's a sensible choice to buy a 200€ dap to pair with <100€ IEM, or if it's just a gimmick and I should just use my phone with a dac/amp

 

[Johnny Golden]

I've never been a fan of DAP's however depending on the way you use your phone and your lifestyle a DAP may work better for you.

As for your IEM choice both are fantastic options that offer incredible sound quality for their price, so enjoy.

 

[surfgeorge]

Thanks a lot for all the answers, it's really informative !

It does seem more sensible to go for cheaper earbuds. With all the recommandations, I'd be tempted to purchase the Moondrop Starfield and the KZ ZS10 pro and see how they compare

As for the dac/amp or dap, I would use it only with IEM. If I were to buy a dac, I'd prefer if it were bluetooth for convenience. But I also really like the idea of having a dedicated dap, but I don't know if it's a sensible choice to buy a 200€ dap to pair with <100€ IEM, or if it's just a gimmick and I should just use my phone with a dac/amp

DAP vs DAC:
if you have a larger offline library that doesn't fit on your phone --> DAP
If you have issues with phone battery life --> DAP
If you are streaming --> phone + DAC/Amp

As you are starting, I guess a Radsone ES100 might be a good option.
Bluetooth, very convenient, 2,5mm and 3,5mm outputs, plastic makes it prone to scratches but also wont break like glass if you drop it. And it comes with a nice EQ app that lets you modify and play with your IEM's frequency response to see what you like and what you don't.

 

[hkpants]

I have never used a DAP, so I'm not going to comment on whether it's better than a phone or not, but I will say your source will affect your sound quality to a much lesser degree than an IEM would. Also, IEMs are not power hungry, so you might not even need an amp for them. I'd say get the IEMs first, try them on your phone, and check this list:

• Is the IEM loud enough?
  • If it is lound enough, you don't need an amp
  • If it's not loud enough, you need an amp.
• Is it noisy/hissy/clipping?
  • If it is not noisy, hissy, or clipping, you don't need a DAC/amp
  • If it is noisy, hissy, or clipping, you need an external DAC/amp

That said, I still advocate for a Bluetooth DAC/amp if your main source is your phone. It's portable, allows you to use your phone unattached to your IEM, and comes with cool functionalities like digital filters and EQ. I can't say for other offerings, but for the Radsone ES100, you get multi-point pairing so it seamlessly switches between multiple sources (I switch between my laptop and phone often when I'm at work).

 

[Johnny Golden]

I have never used a DAP, so I'm not going to comment on whether it's better than a phone or not, but I will say your source will affect your sound quality to a much lesser degree than an IEM would. Also, IEMs are not power hungry, so you might not even need an amp for them. I'd say get the IEMs first, try them on your phone, and check this list:

• Is the IEM loud enough?
  • If it is lound enough, you don't need an amp
  • If it's not loud enough, you need an amp.
• Is it noisy/hissy/clipping?
  • If it is not noisy, hissy, or clipping, you don't need a DAC/amp
  • If it is noisy, hissy, or clipping, you need an external DAC/amp

That said, I still advocate for a Bluetooth DAC/amp if your main source is your phone. It's portable, allows you to use your phone unattached to your IEM, and comes with cool functionalities like digital filters and EQ. I can't say for other offerings, but for the Radsone ES100, you get multi-point pairing so it seamlessly switches between multiple sources (I switch between my laptop and phone often when I'm at work).

I agree with what you've said in terms of getting the IEM's first as most of the time the difference between your phone and a dedicated DAC amp is minimal however for a down the track upgrade Dedicated amplification and DAC's do offer the next level in sound quality especially given that it means you can play higher quality files, have more clean power without distortion.

It is also important to note that when distortion is talked about it doesn't always mean the audible clipping but can refer to more subtle crossover distortion which presents as a more sibilant sound. My LG V20 drives my HD58X's with power to spare and they don't sound that bad, however they sound significantly better through my Sound Blaster E5 or my Class A Burson Amp. Similarly, my V20 drives any IEM's i have with stellar results however the extra power and higher quality dedicated components in the E5 just bring an extra level of resolution

Just some food for thought as to future purchases.

 

[Valley]

Thanks again for the answers guys, it's all really useful !

I just have one last question. Assuming I bought those IEM's and an entry-level dap/dac, I would most likely not hear the difference between 320kbps and Flac, right ? So keeping my files in 320kbps wouldn't be a problem ?

 

[surfgeorge]

If you have the choice to store your files as FLAC and you have enough storage I'd recommend doing it.
I have about 500 CDs converted to FLAC and they need less than 100GB on the micro SD card of my player.
In any case - get a few very well recorced files in both 320 and FLAC and listen to them again and again.
Your ears will tell you if it's worth converting to FLAC.

I can hear the differences between 320, FLAC and HiRes.
The differences of file formats and DACs are less immediately obvious than those between IEMs, but for me they are really fundamental to enjoying the music.
I usually use a CHORD Mojo and whenever I switch to the phone or my HiBy R3 DAP for listening I lose interest quickly. Hard to explain, you need to try and hear, see if it makes much of a difference to you. For me the music has a livelyness and magic with the Mojo that I miss with other sources.

 

[surfgeorge]

DAP vs DAC:
if you have a larger offline library that doesn't fit on your phone --> DAP
If you have issues with phone battery life --> DAP
If you are streaming --> phone + DAC/Amp

As you are starting, I guess a Radsone ES100 might be a good option.
Bluetooth, very convenient, 2,5mm and 3,5mm outputs, plastic makes it prone to scratches but also wont break like glass if you drop it. And it comes with a nice EQ app that lets you modify and play with your IEM's frequency response to see what you like and what you don't.

I became curious about the ES100 and borrowed the one from my wife to test and compare to phone and CHORD Mojo.
The ES100 sounded a touch better than the phone (iPhone SE), with a hair more detail and a more open soundstage.
The iPhone was a little warmer but with a very centered soundstage.
What's nice about the ES100 is the features and functions.

The Mojo on the other hand breathes life into the music and makes it hard for me to listen to anything else.
Crystal clear and detailed, deep, powerful and controlled bass to shimmering highs, a real sound stage, separation etc. Just gorgeous.
Honestly I come to the same conclusion again and again, I swear I get much better SQ from the €400 Mojo with a €250 IEM compared to my more expensive IEMs from a phone.

So to come to the point you raised above,
"...I don't know if it's a sensible choice to buy a 200€ dap to pair with <100€ IEM, or if it's just a gimmick and I should just use my phone with a dac/amp"
My €200 HiBy R3 DAP makes sense with a <€100 IEM, but my €400 Mojo makes them sing.

(I'll be receiving a TempoTec Sonata within the next weeks, maybe that one fares better...)

 

[Avenida]

Edited for Privacy