Which DAP from shortlist of 3

[gibant1]

Hi,
I'm trying to choose from the following DAP's, Not sure whether to go old high end or new, please advise

Cayin N6 ii with E02
A & K SE180 with SEM 4 and SEM 1
Hiby R6 Pro 2

Thanks​

 

[Tanalasta]

Difficult to answer this question without knowing your preferences in terms of IEM's and music.

What tonality would you prefer? Can you discern a difference between a high quality DAP and a mid-fi DAP with your current gear?

I will say that DAP technology, firmware and OS date quickly.

I'd personally vote the Hiby R6Pro2. It's new ; it's relatively affordable and it's safe. And there'll be second hands ones as people upgrade/move on. I've heard very nice things about the R8ii if you can extend that little bit extra and wait till they hit the second hand market.

 

[gibant1]

I'm still undecided atm as it appears the higher quality of DAP the larger and heavier they are. I looked at the R8ii and while everything looks good review-wise, it's quite the brick. Not sure I would want to take it over the convenience of the Detonray SG-1 SE which sounds great and is much more pocketable.

It gives me something to ponder as I need to save a bit of money before purchasing one of those as my poor wallet has taken a beating in the last couple of months since I started in the IEM game.

Thanks for the advice

 

[Nacmy]

I'm intrigued by the Cayin sound. It's very satisfying and ideal. I remember listening to it at the mental hospital using my sony XBA 4ip, it sounded like a magical elixir I had the best time with. It sounds good with sennheiser headphones too. And the design of the Cayin logo is very special space discotech thing that is very ideal defining the quality of the product.

 

[Tanalasta]

I'm still undecided atm as it appears the higher quality of DAP the larger and heavier they are. I looked at the R8ii and while everything looks good review-wise, it's quite the brick. Not sure I would want to take it over the convenience of the Detonray SG-1 SE which sounds great and is much more pocketable.

It gives me something to ponder as I need to save a bit of money before purchasing one of those as my poor wallet has taken a beating in the last couple of months since I started in the IEM game.

Thanks for the advice

If money is an issue, I suggest simply holding off. The secondhand market will always be there. And there is definitely diminishing returns.

I usually suggest upgrading the Iem before the dap. If you already have the SG-1 I really suggest auditioning some DAPs if possible to see how much that difference is and whether it’s worth it to you.

 

[gibant1]

If money is an issue, I suggest simply holding off. The secondhand market will always be there. And there is definitely diminishing returns.

I usually suggest upgrading the Iem before the dap. If you already have the SG-1 I really suggest auditioning some DAPs if possible to see how much that difference is and whether it’s worth it to you.

Sadly it's impossible for me to audition gear and have to buy blind, I was also considering a mojo2 with Poly but the reviews seem a bit mixed on that combination.