Which audiophile DAP are you hooting in 2015?

[dqwong]

Still Updating List: poll will be up once all known 2015 DAP is listed

Altmann Terra Player ~S$5840 (3840euros) Philips R2R DAC, 24/16bit PCM Wave only <192KHz, SDHC, >12hrs Battery Life, 6 Yrs Warranty: http://www.tera-player.com/

Astell & Kern AK240 (S$3,199 to $3,799 or more depending on color/material) CS4398 x2
Astell & Kern AK120 II S$2,399
Astell & Kern AK100 II S$1,199

Cayin N6 S$899 PCM1792 x 2, DSD(downsampled)/WAV/FLAC/APE/AAC 24bit 192KHz, Microsd

Calyx M

Cowon Plenue P1 S$1699
Cowon Plenue Z2 S$470

Fiio X1 S$159
Fiio X3 S$299
Fiio X5 S$599
Fiio X7

Hidizs AP100

Hifiman HM-650
Hifiman HM-700 S$399
Hifiman HM-802 S$1499
Hifiman HM-901 S$1899
Hifiman HM-901S

Ibasso DX50 S$349
Ibasso DX90 S$569 2 x ES9018K2M
Ibasso DX90J
IBasso HDP-R10 (DX100 Japanese) ES9018S (8x DACs)

Light Harmonic Geek Wave ~$524 (USD$389, base model) ES9018AQ2M DAC

Lotoo PAW Gold ~S$2699 (USD$2000)

Pono Player ~S$538 (USD$399)

Shozy Alien s$249

Sony NW-ZX1 S$899
Sony NW-ZX2 S$1,599

QLS QA360 S$658

Questyle QP1 ~S$809 (USD$600)
Questyle QP1 Pro ~S$1214 (USD$900)

Monster Audio(HIFI ET) MA9 ~S$1156 (USD$859.99) PCM1704 x 2

 

[XcoldstarX]

Sony NW/NWZ-ZX2 for me.

To me its the best DAP available in the market now period.

 

[Huracan]

Sony NW/NWZ-ZX2 for me.

To me its the best DAP available in the market now period.

Best in your point of view. I personally don't think so. I believe there are people out there who think so too.

 

[XcoldstarX]

Best in your point of view. I personally don't think so. I believe there are people out there who think so too.

Indeed. It's isn't the best sounding DAP actually. But I really like the sound and package (design, UI, battery life, size) it comes in.

 

[darkarn]

See if got new version of the Fiio X3, might go with that

 

[alamakazim]

I feel so outdated with my ak100 and korg mr2

 

[xuan87]

Can I ask TS what are the criteria for including a dap to the list? Meaning as long as it can be still bought in 2015, whether in Singapore or from overseas, and regardless of price, it can be added to the list?

Also, I think the NWZ-ZX2 and NW-ZX2 can be merged as one, don't think there are any sonic differences between the two, and I doubt few people will go out of their way to get one over the other.

Will be nice if TS can do for this thread what xcoldstarx did for the CIEM thread, by providing information on each dap, each as where to buy, rough features, what dap chip is used etc.

I think audiophile daps is one of the biggest topic for 2015, as it's a relatively immature market compared to the rest of head-fi gears.

 

[dqwong]

Can I ask TS what are the criteria for including a dap to the list? Meaning as long as it can be still bought in 2015, whether in Singapore or from overseas, and regardless of price, it can be added to the list?

Also, I think the NWZ-ZX2 and NW-ZX2 can be merged as one, don't think there are any sonic differences between the two, and I doubt few people will go out of their way to get one over the other.

Will be nice if TS can do for this thread what xcoldstarx did for the CIEM thread, by providing information on each dap, each as where to buy, rough features, what dap chip is used etc.

I think audiophile daps is one of the biggest topic for 2015, as it's a relatively immature market compared to the rest of head-fi gears.

ok bro, let me go collate info and update post

basic criteria for being in the list:
able to be bought/preorder(as in hooting) online or singapore stores in yr2015(Feb 4th 2015 to Dec 31st 2015).

Discontinued/2nd hand products like the DX100 are not in the list.

Add-on products or USB Dacs like Glove A1, Hugo, Herus are not considered to be as "DAPs".

 

[dqwong]

Too much information to collate and post.

Maybe best to do google doc spreadsheet.

 

[xuan87]

ok bro, let me go collate info and update post

basic criteria for being in the list:
able to be bought/preorder(as in hooting) online or singapore stores in yr2015(Feb 4th 2015 to Dec 31st 2015).

Discontinued/2nd hand products like the DX100 are not in the list.

Add-on products or USB Dacs like Glove A1, Hugo, Herus are not considered to be as "DAPs".

Great! Take your time. Me and the other readers here will be glad to proof read for you

In the meantime, there are ALOT of Chinese daps so I won't list them all out, but will just suggest some of the ones that I'm interested in, such as the Soundaware Esther, which is slated for launch in March, and the Soundaware Diva due in June.

The Lotoo Paw 5000 should be available this year too.

The FiiO X3K should be released as X3 II instead of X3K.

Also the Colorfly C3 and C4, heard rumors of a new one releasing soon but not much info on that yet.

AK daps can include both the AK100MK2 and AK120, since both can still be bought.

I will say that the Glove Audio can be made an exception as it's specially tailored just for certain AK daps (unlike other dacs) and after you screw in the AK dap, the final unit can be treated as a whole unit (secured together, no wires sticking out).

 

[yellow_bird_fly]

Cayin N6 and FiiO X3 II.

Also awaiting FiiO X7 and new iBasso flagship.

 

[Rubick]

Your list still short of quite a handful sia.
Sansa, ipod series, ihifi, xduoo, shanling and soundaware

 

[FatalethaL]

Your list still short of quite a handful sia.
Sansa, ipod series, ihifi, xduoo, shanling and soundaware

then help our buttie here out lah~



dqwong: also LP5 (Luxury Precision 5)

 

[Rubick]

then help our buttie here out lah~



dqwong: also LP5 (Luxury Precision 5)

Help le ma. Or why I post them. Oh still got HUM Pervasion iirc the spelling

 

[Dysprosium]

Either the AK240SS or HM901S.

 

[xuan87]

Your list still short of quite a handful sia.
Sansa, ipod series, ihifi, xduoo, shanling and soundaware

Should we exclude the ipod series? They are DAPs, though some might not consider them audiophile DAPs.

 

[Huracan]

Either the AK240SS or HM901S.

Does the SS version sound different from the normal edition?

 

[xuan87]

Does the SS version sound different from the normal edition?

Supposed to sound better due to better grounding from the stainless steel chassis

 

[rickysio]

Feel so ancient with my DX50... Maybe wait see DX200.

 

[Bulletbreaker]

Should we exclude the ipod series? They are DAPs, though some might not consider them audiophile DAPs.

Ipod with AK10?