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@@moon-audio Thank you. I just sent the message on the form. So back to the player comment I didn't finnish. I am a somewhat new HD Tracks buyer as well. Though I've bought a few albums I don't buy much because at times some of the things I do want are just either 1 tune or at best 4. So there's stuff I'd love to get but haven't. The most redicolus example would be Paramore's self titled Paramore album. I only want Ain't It Fun. Cause the song reminds me of my friend Deana Hall. Yes yes I bought the tune on ITunes pre HD Tracks but meh who wants Apple's AAC when you could have Ain't it Fun in 48 KHZ 24 bits in 1 of 5 choices. FLAC ALAC AIFF or good old trusty PCM WAV? But it's 35$ for the whole dam album. Now when they do cell singles they are 3$ so it's 32$ waisted I guess in this example. But what say you? I kinda wana change.org these guys. Or am I not the kinda person for there? It's rare I listen to Albums. I have bought Avril Lavigne albums cause I am an Avril Lavigne fan Mandy Moore and Eminem as well. But again most times it's 1 2 3 or as I said 4 when it turns out I do like 4 tunes. So yeah for now I connect my Zoom H6 and put it into interface mode and into it's multi track mode to get 96 KHZ 24 bits true audio. I've been playing tracks on my now failing Olympus LS-14. But rather then get another Olympus recorder I'm not going to use much as a recorder I'm looking into these players.
Question, Im not allowed to have my cellphone on me while Im at work but want to listen to youtube videos via a mp3 player and Bluetooth earbuds, what are my options? I like listening to Let's Read and certain bible sermons that are on youtube but are mp3 players capable of doing this?
Thanks. I’m still in highschool and my grades are slumping because I’m pretty addicted to my phone ngl. So I’m switching to a flip phone and I would just prefer listening to music through an mp3. My friends thought it was wierd till I explained to them like for example it currently 4 am and I’m watching this 💀💀
Bro good luck with high school I’m a sophomore rn and I’ve been turning off my phone (total power off) during class so i can focus better but now I’ve come to the problem of missing music when I’m doing my work. Will buy one of these when i get a job.
So I'm actually a newbie to " high res audio" and I'm in the market for a digital audio player. I'm so glad to see a review of different players so that I can make an informed decision. This should be fun!
I have a Sony NW-WM1Z, a Sony NW-A55, and a Lotoo Paw Gold Touch. I love all three. The NW-A55 is primarily used for audiobooks. The others, for music.
The iBasso DX170 comes very close, only 1/2 inch thick. Maybe a little wider than one would want (roughly 2.5 inches) but form factor doesn't mean anything if it doesn't sound good but upgraded CPU and Android 11 for under 500 bucks.
Longtime apple user, tried fiio and activo devices recently but my large collections were completely haywire when it came to organization, most of my discs were ripped into iTunes and were well organized there but not at all organized on the Android based devices, any idea what was going on and what I might have been doing wrong?
I still have a Fiio X3 DAP that I purchased many years ago, and it still works like it did when it was new. Fiio makes some really great sounding Digital Audio Players at reasonable prices. Although the Fiio X3 is a bit dated now, Fiio released a few firmware updates over the years that enhanced many of the Fiio X3's already great features. As with all of these DAPs, the sound quality depends greatly on the sound processing chip. Also, using uncompressed, high bit rate, digital audio files (WAV or FLAC not MP3), and good headphones or a good sound system makes a huge difference in sound quality. Yes, sound is subjective, but trust me when I say, throw away the "fad" Beats or Air Pod headphones (or any ear bud headphones for that matter), and get some real high quality headphones, if you really want to take advantage of the sound quality of a good DAP. Otherwise you are just throwing your money away by purchasing an expensive DAP. I also have a Sony Walkman MP3 player, and while being a good music player, the Sony Walkman can't hold a candle to the Fiio X3 in terms of genuine sound quality. Just my two cents on the subject. 🙂
Hi. I disagree (of course all is subjective). I had almost all fiio models (m6, m7, m11, m11 pro, both m11 plus, m15 and m17) and also i had several astell and kern models (se180, se180, sr15, sr25, kann, kann alpha and sa700),and i have tried cayin, hiby, shanling and ibasso DAPs, and i have the sony WM1A. This one in my opinion beat almost all fiio DAPs (not the m17) because is more musical and fiio is more analytical and bright. Even today I use it. Fiio is a great brand but they have to do a lot of work with the tunning of their devices. The m17 and the m15 are great DAPs and their offers a great sound but in my opinon the sound of fiio devices in general didn't blow my mind. Of course, as i said, all depends of your taste, the music that you are listening and your heaphones/iems. Bye
@@claudiotorres5305 Hello, can I ask lets say a high-end IEM has frequency response between 5hz-40.000lhz. So, if I connect this IEM to a dap/dac player, the frequency response still will be between 5hz-40.000khz or if it depends on if dac/dap have frequency response between 20hz-20.000khz, the frequency response of IEM will only be between 20hz-20.000khz not 5hz-40.000khz?
Same here, I've had the Fiio X5(2G) for 7 years without a glitch and only have to charge it every 12-14 days(with 3-4hrs of daily use) because I use a TRRS to coaxial cable to connect to my outside DAC/Loki/Amp. It plays everything, it's a tank. When it dies, I'll buy another gently used one for $150. If I just want to plug my cans right in or out to an amp, it has a fantastic PCM1792A BB / TI DAC as well as an OPA1612+BUF634 main amp chip. Excellent parts. Paying $1000 to $3000 for a DAP is ridiculous unless you're Scrooge McDuck. BT audio is not very good or stable and all these connectable and replaceable dacs and amps for "different sounds" is a money pit.
I am very happy with my iBasso DX 240. I like the insane dynamics and alsoo trying out the PEQ. But mostly i dont need the EQ because i like the natural tuning off stock. And a big advantages at iBasso DX240 are that u can change the AMP's (I hope they throw soon an AMP with Tube also for DX2440) and most important to me u can easily also change the battery by urself when it gets old or broken. (Today there are a lot of crappy charging adapters for fast charging etc around which can damage batteries) But very important if you want to get the best out of the device is that u really also have more expensive iem's or headphones. So with regards to IEM's the minimum 200-500 Euro to get at least a Moondrop blessing/Variations, iBasso IT01s, Dunu SA6 or any tribrids of Thieaudio or Kinera.
This is the very reason I hate DAPs with modules...it's like theu sell me DAPs that aren't it's very best on specs out the box. It makes me OCD over features like that.
I own the DX320 and it's amazing. the dual ROHM DACs with the stock amp is all you need. I'm probably going to sell the AMP13 due to some of the shielding/RF issues. so. people love it but the 4.4mm port on the stock amp is perfect to my ears as this is a subjective hobby. I really hope to see a review of the DX170. upgraded CPU (RK3566) compared to the Qualcomm 430/425 CPUs in the same price range. That and Android 11 for under 500 bucks (under 400 if you are willing to wait). obviously sound is the most important thing and I haven't heard it personally but it sounds like a great DAP for the money. Also the most pocketable DAP I've probably seen outside Sony and some HiBy low end models.
Do any of these players recognise mp4 (Apple lossless) tags, my Sony a15 doesn’t and sets the metadata as unknown, and if I’m going to upgrade I really want to solve that problem, thanks
It sounds better on walkman cause of the hardware inside. You need a high resolution headphone to actually hear the difference. Yes a huge investment 😅. It's the same as comparing a phone camera to professional camera, you cannot tell the difference on the phone.
Hi, great overview! I was wondering, do you know of any DAPs that support multiple genre tags on mp3s and flacs? I have a hiby r3 pro sabre and all I can do is add one genre tag to a track. Very annoying !!
Great and helpful vid. Ive just said goodbye to my Sony A45. Ive given it to my lil sisterbas a birthday gift. It was a decent DAP but it feels lacking, maybe on the equalizer. Im planning to get a new 1 and i wish i would get a DAP that range to 300 to 500 USD in price but gives a Vacuum effect and Hall effect. I think its the A&K sp2000t but the price is 😨😵
I need to cut phone usage down and have literally no apps.. can i still get Tidal (not spotify because they have podcasts) on any of these without all the extras like TH-cam and chrome etc?
I am happy with zx507. however, battery life is not impressive. I with it was better. with upscaling off, and minimal screen usage maybe 15h on average. (I try to charge it not more than 85-90%). 18+h only is u play mp3. dsd files...9-10h max. and still no USB DAC function!!! like in 3 previous models zx300, wm1A/1Z. zx507 is fantastic. I ve also listened to wm1A and AK sp1000 and se100. WM1A decimates all AKs. zx507 is very close to wm1A. wm1A is more neutral. nirvana - polly and led zep - rover sounded exceptionally on wm1A.
Great video! I really hope to see a review of the iBasso DX170. upgraded CPU (RK3566) compared to the Qualcomm 430/425 CPUs in DAPs in the same price range. That and Android 11 for under 500 bucks (under 400 if you are willing to wait). obviously sound is the most important thing and I haven't heard it personally but it sounds like a great DAP for the money. Also the most pocketable DAP I've probably seen outside Sony and some HiBy low end models that don't run Android.
something i've always been on the hunt for storage above all else. i play a 6TB Hard Drive off my laptop as I can just quickly do a search for a genre or mood. and auto build playlists, and would just love to be able to take that on the road with me, without needing wi-fi. spotify region locks or people protest streaming and i can't listen to these artists from my car without putting up with youtube ads and needing to search per song, which obvi i can't do while driving. i just want something i can plug my hard drive into and the DAP will read from
It might not be as ideal of a solution, but one options is collecting multiple 1TB MicroSDs (Maybe organized by genre) and cycling between them as you will likely not need access to all 7TB at one time. The swapping process is smooth and the playback is seemless/doesn't require wifi.
It is a bit of an A&K walhalla here. I am missing like Hiby models. I have an R5 Saber and the only things that annoy me is the android 8 and the non replaceable battery. Sound quality is great. Drives my several headphones perfectly (but mostly I use my AT MSR7 nc headphones on it)
Great video. Here are my questions. If I turn off the device in the middle of playback of a MP3, which device will pick up at the point in the playback where it was it was turned off? If I have all of the MP3 files for an audio book in one folder, which device will play the files in the folder in file title order or track order
Very helpful and quite insightful. Thank you. I was going to invest in the Astell &Kern starter model, but I am looking for more warth. The Sony provides that, but the model you mention is three years old. Doesn't make sense to buy it now. I think I'll just wait for the next Walkman.
It's still unmatched in this truly portable formfactor. I held wm1A. it's hell of a brick. thick! 2 or 2.5 sm. and heavy. good luck putting that into ur jeans pocket. and zx507 is good. it's just like 2x iphone 5 placed one on an other. (1.5 sm thick) perhaps it's worth to wait for next zx model. try both!
What are your thoughts on the SP3000 now that it had dropped. A bit of a downer on the smaller drive size. However, as long as SD support is still there. Not a deal breaker, but the question is. Is the SP3000 worth the upgrade? The SP2000 is still a great player but not sure it's worth a step up from my current SP2000 here, thoughts? As to some questing the cost here. Unless you have heard a proper master audio track or own a recording studio. Don't knock on it before you hear for yourself. The best way to do that is with a Tidal subscription. As MQA files aren't easy to come by just yet. Compared to your compressed Itunes files though is night & day here. :)
Can't recommend any AK players after owning my 5th now the half baked android they run just leaves you high and dry. If you are just playing your own personal stuff they are great if you are trying to stream anything they are not.
@@gaeliclands5064 I don't care for Sony either. The New Hiby R6 has been very good to me and for 700 it makes my AK players looks so bad all I can still give AK is build quality.
@@rbivgq1734 Does the AK have song limitations (caps)? I have the Hiby R3 Pro Saber and it caps out at 20,000 songs that it can read off the micro SD card. (Some say that a Firmware Patch can increase that but I didn't have any luck with that.) I want something that can read 40,000+ songs in full shuffle mode - which is basically how I always listen.)
I have a question. i have a semi high end car audio system with a pioneer flagship headunit that runs android auto. My daily listening involve music streaming through spotify and tidal from my handphone connecting to my pioneer headunit through android auto. My question is, will i benefit anything if i switch from my handphone to any of these DAP players connecting to my car stereo thru android auto? Will i see a drastic improvement in sound quality for an already pretty good sound system in my opinion? Thanks.
I use my kann alpha on the car all the time but for the best sound quality you have to use line out with a cable. I use audioquest evergreen 3.5mm to 3.5mm
Yes and or no. I don't know how you find this out but if the car blutooth reciver will handle APTX APTX HD LDAC especially LDAC then yes. Because with LDAC you get supposedly full 96 KHZ 24 bits blu-ray disk quality over blutooth. Now the only improvement that may remane true is audio quality. These DAPs will have better guts then a phone. OR at least better then your avrage phone. I mean if you got that 35 K Astell &Kern thing than hell to the yeah it'll beat the phone hands down.
Hi, I’m super new to this. My current setup On-the-go is an iPhone 13 + 3rd Party Lightning Dac (32-bit 384Khz) + a couple of Moondrop IEM’s + Apple Music Will a DAP change the experience for me? Looking for something with a small factor, as I will be using it mostly on long motorcycle rides.
Yes, a DAP will change your experience in quite a few ways, and in most cases it's a big improvement in your overall sound. For on the go listening we recommend: www.moon-audio.com/sony-walkman-nw-zx507-music-player.html as it is small enough to carry, it has good battery life, and it sounds great with IEMs.
@@moon-audio Hello, can I ask lets say a high-end IEM has frequency response between 5hz-40.000lhz. So, if I connect this IEM to a dap/dac player, the frequency response still will be between 5hz-40.000khz or if it depends on if dac/dap have frequency response between 20hz-20.000khz, the frequency response of IEM will only be between 20hz-20.000khz not 5hz-40.000khz?
Sony WM1A M2 I have had this for a month I love it , Long Battery Life , Great Sound , Only complaint it's Huge , as big as a phone , Not Portable in My opinion ,
Thanks guys. Another great video. Pigs will fly before I will be able to pay for a flagship model. I have the later SR25, I have been targeting the Mojo/Poly as my upgrade. How does it's ability to resolve stack up to the big money players? Keep up the good work.
Buy a portable dac/amp without a screen and connect to your phone. Better sound at a fraction of the price. You pay a huge premium for the screen on a dap
We don't carry any DAPs at that price, but you might want to check out the iFi Hip DAC 2 or the GO Blu to connect to your phone. You'll get some great gains sonically. 🙂
No DAP is going to be full Andriod, as there needs to be some changes that are needed to make Android output High Quality lossless audio. Our iBasso DAPs are the closest to stock Android, Sony is in the middle, and A&K is the furthest from stock android. All of these use full Android versions, but they also have their own user interface built over top of Android.
Are there any good DAPs out there that _aren't_ ludicrously expensive (i.e. around $200 or less)? I just need something with expandable storage that I can hook up to my car's CD player via aux cable. There's plenty of cheap DAPs on Amazon, but they all look like Chinese junk that would fail in two months.
Sony MW-A55 Walkman I Use It in my Cars Aux jack , long battery life , great sound , 1TB SD Card up to 2TB , Micron just released a 1.5 TB Micro SD card
@@davidhacala8030 dang, that model doesn't seem to be in production anymore. There are used models on eBay, but I'm always reluctant to buy used electronics.
@@davidhacala8030 I'm a heavy zune user. I know nothing of these daps. Can you dl and upload to save and keep on your device or is it all subscription and stream only?
Looking to improve on my current set up on a iPhone 12 Pro , Audioquest Cobalt, Sennheiser IE800’s & Snug’s custom ear pieces which really makes a huge difference. Would you say the A&K SR25 would be a good choice or do I need to go further. By the way the usage is purely gym of jogging so will be used for workout music only. Also has to fit in shorts so not too large or heavy which is also important.
The SR25 MKII is fantastic and will process higher bit/sampling rates than the Audioquest Cobalt. The Sennheiser IE800 is easy to drive, so no issue there. The form factor of the A&K is perfect for use at the gym as well! 🙂
@@hartgemini007 the SR25 was discontinued. Yes: MKii has a lot more power and is still light and portable. www.moon-audio.com/a-norma-sr25-mkii-music-player-dap.html
It can make sense because most DAPs have excellent Bluetooth Antennas, a lot of storage, and support many streaming services. It's not that a phone is a bad source, it's moreso that a DAP is a better source because it's dedicated to having the best sound quality. If you just use the DAP for Bluetooth exclusively, you are bypassing some of the DAPs features (DAC, Headphone Amp,) but it's still a solid choice for the best audio quality. If you were willing to go cabled as well on occasion you can hear just how good your DAP can sound!
What player natively supports OPUS music files? I can't find a single player online that does, all I get is irrelevant results. I got a big archive of music in OPUS music codex, it would be impossible for me to convert my entire collection and am tired of have to use my phone with 3rd party software to play my music.
Hi I have view some video reviews about SP2000T AK Dap they say.. when use fews hours can feel the dap heater, hope can feedback me. And 2nd Question. Did the Gold Color is Stainless steel brass or cooper.
Yes, it is warmer than the other Astell&Kern DAPs due to the KORG Nutube circuit. It comes in 2 finish options, but no gold one currently. See here: www.moon-audio.com/shop/?search_query=sp2000t#/sort:calculated_price:desc/view:products
We haven't had a chance to test the SP2000 against the new NW-WM1ZM2, but we hope to get another Sony unit for review soon. For those who haven't seen our NW-WM1ZM2 unboxing, you can check it out here: th-cam.com/video/BsB6s3E2n7c/w-d-xo.html
I always used to use 3way components in my cars. So I want the best sound. Im tired of using my phone After my ipod and zune got stolen. I don't know what to get.
For the best car sound, a DAP works very well as a source. It depends on your head unit, but you can output audio via the USB-C port, over bluetooth, or using the 3.5mm jack to an aux input! If you would like more advice on what DAP to get send us a message via our contact us form: www.moon-audio.com/contact-us 🙂
There are a variety of options available. If you get an Astell and Kern DAP they make a CD Ripper MkII www.moon-audio.com/astell-kern-ak-cd-ripper-mkii.html that rips your CDs directly to your DAPs storage!
Which unit would you recommend to someone who's completely new to DAP's? I'm not interested in lows and bass, I'm a treble lover, the clearer the vocals the better, not too fussed on budget but wouldn't need to spend over the 2k mark as that would probably come with too many options I wouldn't understand or use. I would only need it for streaming Spotify and would be using it with (grips teeth tight) high quality Bluetooth earbuds and cans. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
The A&K SE180 is an excellent match for the tonality you want and how you intend to use the DAP. The A&K Kann MAX is another good option if you want to use wired headphones as well as Bluetooth headphones.
I spent about $80 for an xDuoo DAP at Fry's Electronics last year and got a 256Gb SD card so that I have about 1400 hi res songs that I can listen to on my headphones or plug into my car's aux audio input jack. It works well and sounds great without having to pay an overly inflated price for just some audiophile snob appeal. I ripped my songs at 16 bit 44.1 Khz to a FLAC format from my CDs as the source and the quality is as good as playing the CDs directly, either through my car's Bose sound system or my laptop.
I’ve just bought one as I’ve finally moved to a phone without a uSD slot and no easy mass storage support. And broadband/cellular service where I want to listen to my collection is so poor that I can’t stream. Picked up a cheap surfans f20 and am going to dump all my wavs and flacs onto that.
The Astell&Kern players use a closed, modified version of Android. No, you can't use a web browser. For this, look at the following players: www.moon-audio.com/cayin-n8ii-dap-music-player.html www.moon-audio.com/shop/?search_query=sony+walkman www.moon-audio.com/brands/ibasso.html#/filter:custom_player_type:DAP/sort:calculated_price:desc/view:products
New to DAP’s .. quick ? Security, are there, or is there any security risk because of the Android operating system. Pls let me know, open to anybody’s thoughts ? I don’t know, so this is why I’m asking ?
On units like the Astell & Kern where it is a closed customized android OS, no. On a device like the iBasso where you can add apps just like an Android phone and allow normal Android based Allow features you can run into trouble if you don't secure the device. For example you can put Gmail on your iBasso to check emails like any Android phone. Well this can make the device corruptible. If you are going to use like a phone then make sure to use passwords everywhere and make sure you only allow things from trusted apps, etc. Better yet don't load any of these apps and use as a DAP as intended! 🙂
That's going to depend on your listening preferences! There are also several newer options to consider. If you'd like some help, reach out to us here: www.moon-audio.com/contact-us 🙂
😮*Big Secret*🤔 LG V50 & V60 has a Quad DAC & DCS:x 3D Surround sound. 3.5mm Jack. For £150 is Super super value😅 Battery life is 10hrs. So good I got 2x V50 twin screens & muti-apps opening😜📳
I have a FLAC file collection on my android. I have wired headphones that sound better than the bluetooth ones and a LDAC bluetooth speaker that sounds awesome. So, yeah, my phone pretty much does this...
Cost no object we love the Empire Ears Odin www.moon-audio.com/empire-ears-odin-universal-iems.html with the SP2000T. Some other good options are the A&K Pathfinder www.moon-audio.com/astell-kern-pathfinder-iem-headphones.html and the Meze ADVAR www.moon-audio.com/meze-advar-in-ear-monitors.html.
For custom recommendations, you can reach out to us via our contact us form www.moon-audio.com/contact-us. We really like the SP2000T with Focal Stellia!
I love the audio quality of my 5th gen iPod classic. But downloading and syncing music through iTunes is a pain. Are you sure a DAP can match it's sound quality?
If you're using multiple file formats or interested in high-resolution audio, then we can assure you a higher-end DAP will sound much better than your iPod. Better components, better materials, better DAC, better AMP, balanced options, etc, we could go on. :) Let us know if you have any other questions!
@@moon-audio does a dap have the ability to browse and download music directly into a music library organizable into playlists? And how is the sound quality when feed to the car stereo via aux cable?
Are these players future proff? With a samsung Phone,you get like 4 years of the newest software.And you can just add an amp/dac like the chord mojo 2 or something.Of course it will be more bulkier/heavier.
Devils in the details. Neither the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro could be used with a USB DAC until today, which they ironically finally fixed after many, many complaints. Now, I doubt any 300+ Samsung has this issue bit I didn't figure what Google calls their flagship phone to be capped at 44khz./24 bit. It really could even do 96hz until today. Once you paid full price and find out 3/ months later, hard to do anything about it outside sell your phone and lose money and buy a new one. I own a few USB DAC/AMP's and they are great but o decided to take a risk and ordered the DX320, I had the FiiO M11 and I was impressed so I figured I would get the iBasso and return IG immediately. No way it could sound that much better, especially since I wasn't impressed by the M11. I couldn't have been more wrong and its going to be the DAP of 2022. That and they are already shipping the NuTube AMP13. I always though my Monarch MKII's sounded underpowered on anything I owns and the DX320/proved it. There is something about the ROHM DACs they used because same form factor as the DX300 with an updated volume wheel and I believe a better screen (not higher resolution though). Now, I'm lucky enough to have the disposable income for my AV hobbies so I'm lucky. Also not married and no kids so that obviously doesn't hurt either. These are luxury items but I will go as far to say the DX320 is twice as good as the M11. Typically at that price point you get diminishing returns. Usually that extra 8 to 10 percent for much more., if not double the price. I have never heard 330kbps Spotify sound so unbelievable amazing that it took ms over 2 hours before I realized I had not even listened to any of my SACD ISOs. Those are obviously unbelievable, really wish it had hung around. Bit rates of 5000Kbps to 7000Kbps (SACD was around jn the late 90s early 2000's so compression wasn't as good). Hearing imperfections in the recordings I had never heard before like a small cough in the background. Now, I know that is a lot of money but I listen to a lot of music so its worth it to me personally. It also sounds better the. Either of my desktop DACs. An iFi Zen 2/and gentilli J2 (misspelled) when plugged directly into my SMSL Amp. Forget the model number bit 300w into 4 ohm and 150 into 8 ohm). Those are both between 300; to 400 dollar DACs. Now,. If I could just win the lottery and get Sony's 780 inch 16K modular LED TV. I would be set. Oh, and a house that it would fit in. That's diagonal, thing must be over 1000b;inches wide. Only 5.8.million so never happening but some people have disposable income so sometimes it's about perspective. Bet Jeff Bezos owns one for his guest house
Head-fi is a headphone website/forum that often hosts an event called "Can Jam" in NYC every year. If you attend one in the future you might even see us there! 🙂 And if you ever find yourself down in Cary, NC, you can also contact us to set up a listening demo while you are in town. Hope this helps!
So can you clear up for me what you mean about do you like to hear all the details vs do you like to get lost in the music. In other words what exactly do super audio geeks mean by either warm sound or detailed and anolitical. Though I suspect I'm the detailed anolitical type as I do like to nitpick songs and when available I like hearing the master stems and better still master multi tracks. I'd also rather hear the songs properly mixed of course but in full 35 channal Dolby atmos and hear all the stems. But properly balanced like in Mell Gibson's passion of the christ. That's how you do surround sound music.
Hey MrHamit - thanks for the question. We like to think of warm sound being full and lush, with great bass response whereas analytical is a crisp, clear, and detailed sound, being able to hear precise articulations or details that can be masked by resonant frequencies. Of course, a lot of this depends on the type of music you listen to, and some people prefer different listening styles with different genres. Everyone hears differently, so there's no right or wrong answer, you just have to pick what sounds good to you! Sound engineers can be very analytical listeners due to the nature of their work, so if you like to hear all the stems and play with the mix then there is a good chance you fall on the analytical side of things.
@@moon-audio Ah I wish I were a sound engineer. But I am as nit picky. Even with my movies. I extract the stems that get sent to each speaker with DVD Audio Extractor and listen to each speaker of what ever particular movie chaptor. Hence how I know sorta how they did the music in the passion. But yes I'm subscribed on TH-cam to channals like pop Deconstructed and I listen to all the stems and tracks of the songs they do have that I like. So which in the list here would you say is the most nitpicky anolitical? I'm also a some what new HD Tracks costumer. I don't buy much though because the 1 doun side with HD tracks is that it's back to the 90s and you have to buy the whole well I'll say Blu-Ray disk as the files are 24 bits. So it's not CD. Though they do indeed cell some albums in CD WAV. So this is a problem in the few cases where I'd want a song in HD but perhaps not the full album
Hi, slightly off topic, do you think these DAP can replace a dedicated hi-end cd transport in all-tube DAC/preamp/amp/floor-standing home audio system? I'm asking because my current cd transport is using high quality drive mechanism which is already discontinued (Philips cd pro 2), so it will become the achilles heel of my cd transport, when it's broken one day it's almost impossible to find replacement unit. Can a DAP (with a dedicated digital output) match the sound quality that a dedicated cd transport can deliver to satisfy a hard-core home audiophile? Thank you.
These devices cannot run iTunes as they do not have an Apple operating system. There are a few potential solutions to this, however, so please reach out here for additional guidance: www.moon-audio.com/contact-us
In your price range, the iBasso DX170 is a great option: www.moon-audio.com/ibasso-dx170-dap-music-player.html If you are willing to spend a bit more, the Sony NW-ZX707 www.moon-audio.com/sony-walkman-nw-zx707-music-player.html is also an excellent choice!
@@TheCorstenn Depends what sort of sound signature you want, DX240 has a warm signature whereas M11 is more neutral sounding, suggest listening to both.
Hi there. Your videos and channel sound like what I am looking for. I was one of those people who started out using the iPod. Now, I would like to be able to take the CDs that I have, burn them to a computer and then transfer them to a player. I am also trying to figure out how to transfer the digital music I have on apple to a different tablet or Windows computer.
We have this CD Ripper on our website: www.moon-audio.com/astell-kern-ak-cd-ripper-mkii.html with this unit you don't even need to use your computer (unless you would like to.) It will work directly with your DAP to rip your collection to your player in a easy to set up process!
iBasso, Cayin, and the new Sony DAPs all have a full app store, so you would be able to download and access TH-cam. It's worth point out that TH-cam does not have the best audio quality, so you'd be better off using a music streaming service like Qobuz or TIdal if you are focused on listening to music.
Great video and some good points raised,its a pity fiio wasn't mentioned as it should definitely be mentioned in best daps wether its fiio m17 or m11 plus ltd i would really like your opinion on them,after reading through the comments below i noticed you said you can only talk about the daps you sell so the headline of this video is a little misleading as it should say best daps for 2022 that we sell!how can you be subjective/objective if you will only review the daps you sell?I'm new to the dap world and have gone from the LG v60 with audioquest cobalt paired with sony wh1000xm3 to the m11 plus ltd paired with sennheiser 660s and its a massive upgrade to my ears and I love the sound of it,I really value experts opinions when watching and trying to learn more about how to get the best sound from my music I was just surprised to see fiio not get a mention I guess in best daps for 2022
Sorry you felt the title was misleading! Our "best of" videos reflect our favorite products in different categories, and we do our best to lay that out in each of our video introductions. Thanks for your comment though! 🙂
Yes, DAPs make a very big difference in sound quality! Everyone has their own value that they place on improved sound quality, so if it's worth it to you it comes down to personal preference.
Many DAPs have a sizable internal drive for storing music on the unit without internet. Many DAPs also support up to 1TB MicroSD cards so you can store a very sizable collection fully offline. For even more storage, you can swap out cards! 🙂
In case you missed it, we’re currently giving away the new Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless noise-canceling headphones paired with one of our custom Black Dragon Portable Headphone Cables - a $550 value - free to one of our loyal followers! Submissions close on September 19th, 2022 at 11:59 PM EST. Click here for more info: www.moon-audio.com/video-sony-wh-1000xm5-headphones-black-dragon-portable-cable-giveaway
Ah darn. I wanted to inter this. But the 5 links are unlabeled. I use a screen reader and it wasn't saying what each was.
Hi there, please reach out to us via our Contact Us form and we'd be happy to help you enter. Sorry for the inconvenience! www.moon-audio.com/contact-us
@@moon-audio Thank you. I just sent the message on the form. So back to the player comment I didn't finnish. I am a somewhat new HD Tracks buyer as well. Though I've bought a few albums I don't buy much because at times some of the things I do want are just either 1 tune or at best 4. So there's stuff I'd love to get but haven't. The most redicolus example would be Paramore's self titled Paramore album. I only want Ain't It Fun. Cause the song reminds me of my friend Deana Hall. Yes yes I bought the tune on ITunes pre HD Tracks but meh who wants Apple's AAC when you could have Ain't it Fun in 48 KHZ 24 bits in 1 of 5 choices. FLAC ALAC AIFF or good old trusty PCM WAV? But it's 35$ for the whole dam album. Now when they do cell singles they are 3$ so it's 32$ waisted I guess in this example. But what say you? I kinda wana change.org these guys. Or am I not the kinda person for there? It's rare I listen to Albums. I have bought Avril Lavigne albums cause I am an Avril Lavigne fan Mandy Moore and Eminem as well. But again most times it's 1 2 3 or as I said 4 when it turns out I do like 4 tunes. So yeah for now I connect my Zoom H6 and put it into interface mode and into it's multi track mode to get 96 KHZ 24 bits true audio. I've been playing tracks on my now failing Olympus LS-14. But rather then get another Olympus recorder I'm not going to use much as a recorder I'm looking into these players.
Question, Im not allowed to have my cellphone on me while Im at work but want to listen to youtube videos via a mp3 player and Bluetooth earbuds, what are my options? I like listening to Let's Read and certain bible sermons that are on youtube but are mp3 players capable of doing this?
Currently?? Please send
Thanks. I’m still in highschool and my grades are slumping because I’m pretty addicted to my phone ngl. So I’m switching to a flip phone and I would just prefer listening to music through an mp3. My friends thought it was wierd till I explained to them like for example it currently 4 am and I’m watching this 💀💀
Smart move. Hope your grades improve!
Bro good luck with high school I’m a sophomore rn and I’ve been turning off my phone (total power off) during class so i can focus better but now I’ve come to the problem of missing music when I’m doing my work. Will buy one of these when i get a job.
literally why i'm here, doing exactly the same thing. lmk how it's going for you.
wait a minute...
You doing the right thing... phone made only for a call ... that is all. Not Web browser not music not photographs if I may say.
So I'm actually a newbie to " high res audio" and I'm in the market for a digital audio player. I'm so glad to see a review of different players so that I can make an informed decision. This should be fun!
I have a Sony NW-WM1Z, a Sony NW-A55, and a Lotoo Paw Gold Touch. I love all three. The NW-A55 is primarily used for audiobooks. The others, for music.
I own a FiiO M17, frickin behemoth of a DAP and I love it.
In 2022, the Sony ZX507 is still my favorite DAP. Best form factor.
It's a design that has stood the test of time, no doubt!
I agree! I bought at first the FiiO M11, but it is just a brick. I switched after 1 year to the ZX507! (uncapped volume Version from Japan)
@@d1n01988 The Fiio M11 was the best ever DAP for its price range and nothing came close to it for its time
The iBasso DX170 comes very close, only 1/2 inch thick. Maybe a little wider than one would want (roughly 2.5 inches) but form factor doesn't mean anything if it doesn't sound good but upgraded CPU and Android 11 for under 500 bucks.
I have a Sony nwa55 with letshuoer s12 and it gets the work done for me.
Longtime apple user, tried fiio and activo devices recently but my large collections were completely haywire when it came to organization, most of my discs were ripped into iTunes and were well organized there but not at all organized on the Android based devices, any idea what was going on and what I might have been doing wrong?
Love my Pioneer 30xdp. Affordable and good . wished Pioneer would have stayed in the business .
I still have a Fiio X3 DAP that I purchased many years ago, and it still works like it did when it was new. Fiio makes some really great sounding Digital Audio Players at reasonable prices. Although the Fiio X3 is a bit dated now, Fiio released a few firmware updates over the years that enhanced many of the Fiio X3's already great features. As with all of these DAPs, the sound quality depends greatly on the sound processing chip. Also, using uncompressed, high bit rate, digital audio files (WAV or FLAC not MP3), and good headphones or a good sound system makes a huge difference in sound quality. Yes, sound is subjective, but trust me when I say, throw away the "fad" Beats or Air Pod headphones (or any ear bud headphones for that matter), and get some real high quality headphones, if you really want to take advantage of the sound quality of a good DAP. Otherwise you are just throwing your money away by purchasing an expensive DAP. I also have a Sony Walkman MP3 player, and while being a good music player, the Sony Walkman can't hold a candle to the Fiio X3 in terms of genuine sound quality. Just my two cents on the subject. 🙂
Hi. I disagree (of course all is subjective). I had almost all fiio models (m6, m7, m11, m11 pro, both m11 plus, m15 and m17) and also i had several astell and kern models (se180, se180, sr15, sr25, kann, kann alpha and sa700),and i have tried cayin, hiby, shanling and ibasso DAPs, and i have the sony WM1A. This one in my opinion beat almost all fiio DAPs (not the m17) because is more musical and fiio is more analytical and bright. Even today I use it. Fiio is a great brand but they have to do a lot of work with the tunning of their devices. The m17 and the m15 are great DAPs and their offers a great sound but in my opinon the sound of fiio devices in general didn't blow my mind. Of course, as i said, all depends of your taste, the music that you are listening and your heaphones/iems. Bye
@@claudiotorres5305 Sony doesn't have android though. Sounds like a great device.
@@claudiotorres5305 Hello, can I ask lets say a high-end IEM has frequency response between 5hz-40.000lhz. So, if I connect this IEM to a dap/dac player, the frequency response still will be between 5hz-40.000khz or if it depends on if dac/dap have frequency response between 20hz-20.000khz, the frequency response of IEM will only be between 20hz-20.000khz not 5hz-40.000khz?
Same here, I've had the Fiio X5(2G) for 7 years without a glitch and only have to charge it every 12-14 days(with 3-4hrs of daily use) because I use a TRRS to coaxial cable to connect to my outside DAC/Loki/Amp. It plays everything, it's a tank. When it dies, I'll buy another gently used one for $150. If I just want to plug my cans right in or out to an amp, it has a fantastic PCM1792A BB / TI DAC as well as an OPA1612+BUF634 main amp chip. Excellent parts.
Paying $1000 to $3000 for a DAP is ridiculous unless you're Scrooge McDuck. BT audio is not very good or stable and all these connectable and replaceable dacs and amps for "different sounds" is a money pit.
My biggest desire is the ability to build playlists on my computer then set them up on my player, which seems rare as hen's teeth
I am very happy with my iBasso DX 240. I like the insane dynamics and alsoo trying out the PEQ. But mostly i dont need the EQ because i like the natural tuning off stock.
And a big advantages at iBasso DX240 are that u can change the AMP's (I hope they throw soon an AMP with Tube also for DX2440) and most important to me u can easily also change the battery by urself when it gets old or broken. (Today there are a lot of crappy charging adapters for fast charging etc around which can damage batteries)
But very important if you want to get the best out of the device is that u really also have more expensive iem's or headphones. So with regards to IEM's the minimum 200-500 Euro
to get at least a Moondrop blessing/Variations, iBasso IT01s, Dunu SA6 or any tribrids of Thieaudio or Kinera.
Lol. No eq and you have iem that gives total different tuning
Heve you listen to fiio m11 plus ?
@@TheCorstenn me? Yes. Dobt like their eq.
This is the very reason I hate DAPs with modules...it's like theu sell me DAPs that aren't it's very best on specs out the box. It makes me OCD over features like that.
I own the DX320 and it's amazing. the dual ROHM DACs with the stock amp is all you need. I'm probably going to sell the AMP13 due to some of the shielding/RF issues. so. people love it but the 4.4mm port on the stock amp is perfect to my ears as this is a subjective hobby.
I really hope to see a review of the DX170. upgraded CPU (RK3566) compared to the Qualcomm 430/425 CPUs in the same price range. That and Android 11 for under 500 bucks (under 400 if you are willing to wait). obviously sound is the most important thing and I haven't heard it personally but it sounds like a great DAP for the money. Also the most pocketable DAP I've probably seen outside Sony and some HiBy low end models.
Do any of these players recognise mp4 (Apple lossless) tags, my Sony a15 doesn’t and sets the metadata as unknown, and if I’m going to upgrade I really want to solve that problem, thanks
I pay for TH-cam music and of course they have the option to download for offline use, will that work on these?
i've been listening 320kbps flac audios and my phone had headphone jack, type c plug too.
so what is matter to use these dap?
It sounds better on walkman cause of the hardware inside.
You need a high resolution headphone to actually hear the difference.
Yes a huge investment 😅.
It's the same as comparing a phone camera to professional camera, you cannot tell the difference on the phone.
Hi, great overview! I was wondering, do you know of any DAPs that support multiple genre tags on mp3s and flacs? I have a hiby r3 pro sabre and all I can do is add one genre tag to a track. Very annoying !!
Great and helpful vid.
Ive just said goodbye to my Sony A45. Ive given it to my lil sisterbas a birthday gift. It was a decent DAP but it feels lacking, maybe on the equalizer. Im planning to get a new 1 and i wish i would get a DAP that range to 300 to 500 USD in price but gives a Vacuum effect and Hall effect. I think its the A&K sp2000t but the price is 😨😵
I need to cut phone usage down and have literally no apps.. can i still get Tidal (not spotify because they have podcasts) on any of these without all the extras like TH-cam and chrome etc?
Good that you cover sound signature, a topic often neglected
I am happy with zx507. however, battery life is not impressive. I with it was better. with upscaling off, and minimal screen usage maybe 15h on average. (I try to charge it not more than 85-90%). 18+h only is u play mp3.
dsd files...9-10h max.
and still no USB DAC function!!! like in 3 previous models zx300, wm1A/1Z.
zx507 is fantastic.
I ve also listened to wm1A and AK sp1000 and se100.
WM1A decimates all AKs.
zx507 is very close to wm1A. wm1A is more neutral. nirvana - polly and led zep - rover sounded exceptionally on wm1A.
Wish one of these would click in place to a high end speaker to make it all in one and portable....
Is there such a thing?
Great video! I really hope to see a review of the iBasso DX170. upgraded CPU (RK3566) compared to the Qualcomm 430/425 CPUs in DAPs in the same price range. That and Android 11 for under 500 bucks (under 400 if you are willing to wait). obviously sound is the most important thing and I haven't heard it personally but it sounds like a great DAP for the money. Also the most pocketable DAP I've probably seen outside Sony and some HiBy low end models that don't run Android.
І було би добре порівняти цей iBasso DX170 з новими гравцем ринку DAP, з плеєром TempoTec V6!
something i've always been on the hunt for storage above all else.
i play a 6TB Hard Drive off my laptop as I can just quickly do a search for a genre or mood. and auto build playlists, and would just love to be able to take that on the road with me, without needing wi-fi. spotify region locks or people protest streaming and i can't listen to these artists from my car without putting up with youtube ads and needing to search per song, which obvi i can't do while driving.
i just want something i can plug my hard drive into and the DAP will read from
It might not be as ideal of a solution, but one options is collecting multiple 1TB MicroSDs (Maybe organized by genre) and cycling between them as you will likely not need access to all 7TB at one time. The swapping process is smooth and the playback is seemless/doesn't require wifi.
Which better between sony zx5007 and a&k sr25? I consider to buy one of them
It is a bit of an A&K walhalla here. I am missing like Hiby models. I have an R5 Saber and the only things that annoy me is the android 8 and the non replaceable battery. Sound quality is great. Drives my several headphones perfectly (but mostly I use my AT MSR7 nc headphones on it)
Great video. Here are my questions. If I turn off the device in the middle of playback of a MP3, which device will pick up at the point in the playback where it was it was turned off? If I have all of the MP3 files for an audio book in one folder, which device will play the files in the folder in file title order or track order
Very helpful and quite insightful. Thank you. I was going to invest in the Astell &Kern starter model, but I am looking for more warth. The Sony provides that, but the model you mention is three years old. Doesn't make sense to buy it now. I think I'll just wait for the next Walkman.
Sony released their new NW-WM1AM2 shortly after this video was published. You can check it out here: www.moon-audio.com/video-sony-nw-wm1am2-unboxing
It's still unmatched in this truly portable formfactor.
I held wm1A. it's hell of a brick. thick! 2 or 2.5 sm. and heavy. good luck putting that into ur jeans pocket.
and zx507 is good. it's just like 2x iphone 5 placed one on an other. (1.5 sm thick)
perhaps it's worth to wait for next zx model.
try both!
sony ages like a fine wine. the 507 is hardly obsolete given what you're going to use it for.
What are your thoughts on the SP3000 now that it had dropped. A bit of a downer on the smaller drive size. However, as long as SD support is still there.
Not a deal breaker, but the question is. Is the SP3000 worth the upgrade? The SP2000 is still a great player but not sure it's worth a step up from my current SP2000 here, thoughts?
As to some questing the cost here. Unless you have heard a proper master audio track or own a recording studio. Don't knock on it before you hear for yourself.
The best way to do that is with a Tidal subscription. As MQA files aren't easy to come by just yet. Compared to your compressed Itunes files though is night & day here. :)
Hi there, check out our review of the Astell&Kern SP3000 here: th-cam.com/video/0iwdf-0cXkY/w-d-xo.html 🙂
Can't recommend any AK players after owning my 5th now the half baked android they run just leaves you high and dry. If you are just playing your own personal stuff they are great if you are trying to stream anything they are not.
What would you recommend instead? Have you tried the high-end Sony?
AK streaming options don't have gapless playback, what's the point!
@@dsmyify Another awful fact the SR15 and 25 I use just play a track and stop its infuriating.
@@gaeliclands5064 I don't care for Sony either. The New Hiby R6 has been very good to me and for 700 it makes my AK players looks so bad all I can still give AK is build quality.
@@rbivgq1734 Does the AK have song limitations (caps)? I have the Hiby R3 Pro Saber and it caps out at 20,000 songs that it can read off the micro SD card. (Some say that a Firmware Patch can increase that but I didn't have any luck with that.) I want something that can read 40,000+ songs in full shuffle mode - which is basically how I always listen.)
I have a question. i have a semi high end car audio system with a pioneer flagship headunit that runs android auto. My daily listening involve music streaming through spotify and tidal from my handphone connecting to my pioneer headunit through android auto. My question is, will i benefit anything if i switch from my handphone to any of these DAP players connecting to my car stereo thru android auto? Will i see a drastic improvement in sound quality for an already pretty good sound system in my opinion? Thanks.
Hi there, we'd love to chat with you about this further. Please reach out to us here: www.moon-audio.com/contact-us
I use my kann alpha on the car all the time but for the best sound quality you have to use line out with a cable. I use audioquest evergreen 3.5mm to 3.5mm
Yes and or no. I don't know how you find this out but if the car blutooth reciver will handle APTX APTX HD LDAC especially LDAC then yes. Because with LDAC you get supposedly full 96 KHZ 24 bits blu-ray disk quality over blutooth. Now the only improvement that may remane true is audio quality. These DAPs will have better guts then a phone. OR at least better then your avrage phone. I mean if you got that 35 K Astell &Kern thing than hell to the yeah it'll beat the phone hands down.
For quality and longevity, Sony is the best (WM1AM2)
Hi, I’m super new to this. My current setup On-the-go is an iPhone 13 + 3rd Party Lightning Dac (32-bit 384Khz) + a couple of Moondrop IEM’s + Apple Music
Will a DAP change the experience for me? Looking for something with a small factor, as I will be using it mostly on long motorcycle rides.
Yes, a DAP will change your experience in quite a few ways, and in most cases it's a big improvement in your overall sound. For on the go listening we recommend: www.moon-audio.com/sony-walkman-nw-zx507-music-player.html as it is small enough to carry, it has good battery life, and it sounds great with IEMs.
@@moon-audio thanks so much! Will be check these out!
@@moon-audio Hello, can I ask lets say a high-end IEM has frequency response between 5hz-40.000lhz. So, if I connect this IEM to a dap/dac player, the frequency response still will be between 5hz-40.000khz or if it depends on if dac/dap have frequency response between 20hz-20.000khz, the frequency response of IEM will only be between 20hz-20.000khz not 5hz-40.000khz?
Sony WM1A M2 I have had this for a month I love it , Long Battery Life , Great Sound , Only complaint it's Huge , as big as a phone , Not Portable in My opinion ,
Definitely a little on the chunky side for a DAP, but you can't beat the sound for sure! 🙂
Thanks guys. Another great video. Pigs will fly before I will be able to pay for a flagship model. I have the later SR25, I have been targeting the Mojo/Poly as my upgrade. How does it's ability to resolve stack up to the big money players? Keep up the good work.
Noth'n wrong with the SR25. At the end of the day, enjoy the music! 🙂
Buy a portable dac/amp without a screen and connect to your phone. Better sound at a fraction of the price. You pay a huge premium for the screen on a dap
@@nellatl Nah, there is no phone & amp/DAC that will close to a $700 and up DAP for SQ.
The sr25 is a great player
Whats a best value DAP recommendation for someone who's never had a DAP before, but wants to break the ice with a budget of less than $150?
We don't carry any DAPs at that price, but you might want to check out the iFi Hip DAC 2 or the GO Blu to connect to your phone. You'll get some great gains sonically. 🙂
Wait, is the screen on the SR25 MKll diagonal? Or am I just seeing it wrong ha
You're seeing correctly! The SR25 MKII's screen is angled slightly to the left when the player is facing you. 🙂
...can we connect these to car stereo and stereo amplifiers..if it is not it's not for me.
Yes, you can! Please reach out to us here and we can make some personal recommendations: www.moon-audio.com/contact-us
a cool DAP that you didn't add was the Hidizs AP80 PRO-X
Love this. I have been trying to find a music player
Sony master of electronics
I want something like this but is also a good pocket radio and a walkie talkie, they need to bring those back.
I think these play radio over the internet. Walkie talkie? Surely there’s an app for that!
hello I am looking for a full android DAP I have tried Fiio M11s its not full or propper android do you have. any ideas please.....many thanks
No DAP is going to be full Andriod, as there needs to be some changes that are needed to make Android output High Quality lossless audio. Our iBasso DAPs are the closest to stock Android, Sony is in the middle, and A&K is the furthest from stock android. All of these use full Android versions, but they also have their own user interface built over top of Android.
Are there any good DAPs out there that _aren't_ ludicrously expensive (i.e. around $200 or less)? I just need something with expandable storage that I can hook up to my car's CD player via aux cable. There's plenty of cheap DAPs on Amazon, but they all look like Chinese junk that would fail in two months.
Sony MW-A55 Walkman I Use It in my Cars Aux jack , long battery life , great sound , 1TB SD Card up to 2TB , Micron just released a 1.5 TB Micro SD card
@@davidhacala8030 dang, that model doesn't seem to be in production anymore. There are used models on eBay, but I'm always reluctant to buy used electronics.
@@davidhacala8030 I'm a heavy zune user. I know nothing of these daps. Can you dl and upload to save and keep on your device or is it all subscription and stream only?
The smartphone you already own. You won't be able to tell the difference with the noise of the car and traffic.
Surfans f20
Looking to improve on my current set up on a iPhone 12 Pro , Audioquest Cobalt, Sennheiser IE800’s & Snug’s custom ear pieces which really makes a huge difference. Would you say the A&K SR25 would be a good choice or do I need to go further. By the way the usage is purely gym of jogging so will be used for workout music only. Also has to fit in shorts so not too large or heavy which is also important.
The SR25 MKII is fantastic and will process higher bit/sampling rates than the Audioquest Cobalt. The Sennheiser IE800 is easy to drive, so no issue there. The form factor of the A&K is perfect for use at the gym as well! 🙂
@@moon-audio appreciate the reply - is there much difference between the 25 & 25 MK2
@@hartgemini007 the SR25 was discontinued. Yes: MKii has a lot more power and is still light and portable. www.moon-audio.com/a-norma-sr25-mkii-music-player-dap.html
Hi. Does it make sense to invest in a dap when most of the users would possibly use Bluetooth headphones? Is a smartphone not a good source???
It can make sense because most DAPs have excellent Bluetooth Antennas, a lot of storage, and support many streaming services. It's not that a phone is a bad source, it's moreso that a DAP is a better source because it's dedicated to having the best sound quality.
If you just use the DAP for Bluetooth exclusively, you are bypassing some of the DAPs features (DAC, Headphone Amp,) but it's still a solid choice for the best audio quality.
If you were willing to go cabled as well on occasion you can hear just how good your DAP can sound!
What player natively supports OPUS music files?
I can't find a single player online that does, all I get is irrelevant results.
I got a big archive of music in OPUS music codex, it would be impossible for me to convert my entire collection and am tired of have to use my phone with 3rd party software to play my music.
We are not sure. I would suggest using a program to convert these files as they are a rare format.
-Drew Baird, P.E.
Hi I have view some video reviews about SP2000T AK Dap they say.. when use fews hours can feel the dap heater, hope can feedback me. And 2nd Question. Did the Gold Color is Stainless steel brass or cooper.
Yes, it is warmer than the other Astell&Kern DAPs due to the KORG Nutube circuit. It comes in 2 finish options, but no gold one currently. See here: www.moon-audio.com/shop/?search_query=sp2000t#/sort:calculated_price:desc/view:products
So I should be able to get Apple Music with these too since its just running android?
Well it's an android based OS on the A&K players with their own UI. Still all of the DAPs we carry support the Apple music app!
Do you think the latest update to the Sony z1m2 outperforms the A&K SP 2000 and the luxury & precision LP6 ($4,500) in sound quality?
We haven't had a chance to test the SP2000 against the new NW-WM1ZM2, but we hope to get another Sony unit for review soon. For those who haven't seen our NW-WM1ZM2 unboxing, you can check it out here: th-cam.com/video/BsB6s3E2n7c/w-d-xo.html
I always used to use 3way components in my cars. So I want the best sound. Im tired of using my phone After my ipod and zune got stolen. I don't know what to get.
For the best car sound, a DAP works very well as a source. It depends on your head unit, but you can output audio via the USB-C port, over bluetooth, or using the 3.5mm jack to an aux input! If you would like more advice on what DAP to get send us a message via our contact us form: www.moon-audio.com/contact-us 🙂
I have a ton of cd's and want to load them onto DAP, can I do that?
There are a variety of options available. If you get an Astell and Kern DAP they make a CD Ripper MkII www.moon-audio.com/astell-kern-ak-cd-ripper-mkii.html that rips your CDs directly to your DAPs storage!
Which unit would you recommend to someone who's completely new to DAP's? I'm not interested in lows and bass, I'm a treble lover, the clearer the vocals the better, not too fussed on budget but wouldn't need to spend over the 2k mark as that would probably come with too many options I wouldn't understand or use. I would only need it for streaming Spotify and would be using it with (grips teeth tight) high quality Bluetooth earbuds and cans. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
The A&K SE180 is an excellent match for the tonality you want and how you intend to use the DAP. The A&K Kann MAX is another good option if you want to use wired headphones as well as Bluetooth headphones.
A new upgrade to the nwa105; the nwa306 is coming out soon. It's wait for it
I spent about $80 for an xDuoo DAP at Fry's Electronics last year and got a 256Gb SD card so that I have about 1400 hi res songs that I can listen to on my headphones or plug into my car's aux audio input jack. It works well and sounds great without having to pay an overly inflated price for just some audiophile snob appeal.
I ripped my songs at 16 bit 44.1 Khz to a FLAC format from my CDs as the source and the quality is as good as playing the CDs directly, either through my car's Bose sound system or my laptop.
I’ve just bought one as I’ve finally moved to a phone without a uSD slot and no easy mass storage support. And broadband/cellular service where I want to listen to my collection is so poor that I can’t stream. Picked up a cheap surfans f20 and am going to dump all my wavs and flacs onto that.
Do DAPs have web browsing acess, most specifically the astell and kern sa700?
The Astell&Kern players use a closed, modified version of Android. No, you can't use a web browser. For this, look at the following players:
www.moon-audio.com/cayin-n8ii-dap-music-player.html
www.moon-audio.com/shop/?search_query=sony+walkman
www.moon-audio.com/brands/ibasso.html#/filter:custom_player_type:DAP/sort:calculated_price:desc/view:products
I just bought a Shanling M3X and a 1tb micro SD card and was happy with that setup
Thanks for the video mate
No problem 👍
New to DAP’s .. quick ? Security, are there, or is there any security risk because of the Android operating system. Pls let me know, open to anybody’s thoughts ? I don’t know, so this is why I’m asking ?
On units like the Astell & Kern where it is a closed customized android OS, no. On a device like the iBasso where you can add apps just like an Android phone and allow normal Android based Allow features you can run into trouble if you don't secure the device. For example you can put Gmail on your iBasso to check emails like any Android phone. Well this can make the device corruptible. If you are going to use like a phone then make sure to use passwords everywhere and make sure you only allow things from trusted apps, etc. Better yet don't load any of these apps and use as a DAP as intended! 🙂
So which is your recommendation?
That's going to depend on your listening preferences! There are also several newer options to consider. If you'd like some help, reach out to us here: www.moon-audio.com/contact-us 🙂
I would only care about the long battery life, bluetooth earbuds support and affordability. pls recommend 😅
😮*Big Secret*🤔
LG V50 & V60 has a Quad DAC & DCS:x 3D Surround sound.
3.5mm Jack.
For £150 is Super super value😅
Battery life is 10hrs.
So good I got 2x V50 twin screens & muti-apps opening😜📳
Thanks. I have a set of Sony NW-WM1AM2.
What about the nw-700 the new one??
Stay tuned! We hope to review the new NW-ZX707 ASAP. 🙂
The ibassod440 sounds better than my iPhone 12 Pro Max ?
I have a FLAC file collection on my android. I have wired headphones that sound better than the bluetooth ones and a LDAC bluetooth speaker that sounds awesome. So, yeah, my phone pretty much does this...
Hi, can you tell me please, which iems you prefer for sp2000t. Thank you
Cost no object we love the Empire Ears Odin www.moon-audio.com/empire-ears-odin-universal-iems.html with the SP2000T. Some other good options are the A&K Pathfinder www.moon-audio.com/astell-kern-pathfinder-iem-headphones.html and the Meze ADVAR www.moon-audio.com/meze-advar-in-ear-monitors.html.
@@moon-audio Thanks!
Hello. Could you please recommend a DAP for my Focal Stellias? Thank you.
For custom recommendations, you can reach out to us via our contact us form www.moon-audio.com/contact-us. We really like the SP2000T with Focal Stellia!
I'm that person who would tell you to just use your phone, until I got jury duty. I have to endure looooong hours without a phone.
it's cool zx507 from 2019 makes it to ur top recommendation!
It's a great entry-level DAP from Sony! 🙂
@@moon-audio entry level? u sure? there is A-100 too
I love the audio quality of my 5th gen iPod classic. But downloading and syncing music through iTunes is a pain. Are you sure a DAP can match it's sound quality?
If you're using multiple file formats or interested in high-resolution audio, then we can assure you a higher-end DAP will sound much better than your iPod. Better components, better materials, better DAC, better AMP, balanced options, etc, we could go on. :) Let us know if you have any other questions!
daps will always trump an ipod. every. time.
@@moon-audio does a dap have the ability to browse and download music directly into a music library organizable into playlists? And how is the sound quality when feed to the car stereo via aux cable?
why the cell phone battery dies fast
thats why you have to have a mp3 player the way two go
im not an audiophile or anything I just want something to replace my 16 year old ipod that isnt some sony $1500 thing
Are these players future proff? With a samsung Phone,you get like 4 years of the newest software.And you can just add an amp/dac like the chord mojo 2 or something.Of course it will be more bulkier/heavier.
Devils in the details. Neither the Pixel 6 or Pixel 6 Pro could be used with a USB DAC until today, which they ironically finally fixed after many, many complaints. Now, I doubt any 300+ Samsung has this issue bit I didn't figure what Google calls their flagship phone to be capped at 44khz./24 bit. It really could even do 96hz until today. Once you paid full price and find out 3/ months later, hard to do anything about it outside sell your phone and lose money and buy a new one.
I own a few USB DAC/AMP's and they are great but o decided to take a risk and ordered the DX320, I had the FiiO M11 and I was impressed so I figured I would get the iBasso and return IG immediately. No way it could sound that much better, especially since I wasn't impressed by the M11. I couldn't have been more wrong and its going to be the DAP of 2022. That and they are already shipping the NuTube AMP13. I always though my Monarch MKII's sounded underpowered on anything I owns and the DX320/proved it. There is something about the ROHM DACs they used because same form factor as the DX300 with an updated volume wheel and I believe a better screen (not higher resolution though).
Now, I'm lucky enough to have the disposable income for my AV hobbies so I'm lucky. Also not married and no kids so that obviously doesn't hurt either. These are luxury items but I will go as far to say the DX320 is twice as good as the M11. Typically at that price point you get diminishing returns. Usually that extra 8 to 10 percent for much more., if not double the price. I have never heard 330kbps Spotify sound so unbelievable amazing that it took ms over 2 hours before I realized I had not even listened to any of my SACD ISOs. Those are obviously unbelievable, really wish it had hung around. Bit rates of 5000Kbps to 7000Kbps (SACD was around jn the late 90s early 2000's so compression wasn't as good). Hearing imperfections in the recordings I had never heard before like a small cough in the background.
Now, I know that is a lot of money but I listen to a lot of music so its worth it to me personally. It also sounds better the. Either of my desktop DACs. An iFi Zen 2/and gentilli J2 (misspelled) when plugged directly into my SMSL Amp. Forget the model number bit 300w into 4 ohm and 150 into 8 ohm). Those are both between 300; to 400 dollar DACs.
Now,. If I could just win the lottery and get Sony's 780 inch 16K modular LED TV. I would be set. Oh, and a house that it would fit in. That's diagonal, thing must be over 1000b;inches wide. Only 5.8.million so never happening but some people have disposable income so sometimes it's about perspective. Bet Jeff Bezos owns one for his guest house
hi, thank you for the review. where can I find and check out those devices in New York?
Head-fi is a headphone website/forum that often hosts an event called "Can Jam" in NYC every year. If you attend one in the future you might even see us there! 🙂
And if you ever find yourself down in Cary, NC, you can also contact us to set up a listening demo while you are in town. Hope this helps!
So can you clear up for me what you mean about do you like to hear all the details vs do you like to get lost in the music. In other words what exactly do super audio geeks mean by either warm sound or detailed and anolitical. Though I suspect I'm the detailed anolitical type as I do like to nitpick songs and when available I like hearing the master stems and better still master multi tracks. I'd also rather hear the songs properly mixed of course but in full 35 channal Dolby atmos and hear all the stems. But properly balanced like in Mell Gibson's passion of the christ. That's how you do surround sound music.
Hey MrHamit - thanks for the question. We like to think of warm sound being full and lush, with great bass response whereas analytical is a crisp, clear, and detailed sound, being able to hear precise articulations or details that can be masked by resonant frequencies. Of course, a lot of this depends on the type of music you listen to, and some people prefer different listening styles with different genres. Everyone hears differently, so there's no right or wrong answer, you just have to pick what sounds good to you! Sound engineers can be very analytical listeners due to the nature of their work, so if you like to hear all the stems and play with the mix then there is a good chance you fall on the analytical side of things.
@@moon-audio Ah I wish I were a sound engineer. But I am as nit picky. Even with my movies. I extract the stems that get sent to each speaker with DVD Audio Extractor and listen to each speaker of what ever particular movie chaptor. Hence how I know sorta how they did the music in the passion. But yes I'm subscribed on TH-cam to channals like pop Deconstructed and I listen to all the stems and tracks of the songs they do have that I like. So which in the list here would you say is the most nitpicky anolitical? I'm also a some what new HD Tracks costumer. I don't buy much though because the 1 doun side with HD tracks is that it's back to the 90s and you have to buy the whole well I'll say Blu-Ray disk as the files are 24 bits. So it's not CD. Though they do indeed cell some albums in CD WAV. So this is a problem in the few cases where I'd want a song in HD but perhaps not the full album
Thank you for sharing 🙏
Thanks for watching!
why you do not mention Hiby?
This is super helpful!
Glad you think so! Thanks so much for watching. 🙂
I ended up buying the Sony NW-ZX507/S - comes in Friday, cant wait!
Hi, slightly off topic, do you think these DAP can replace a dedicated hi-end cd transport in all-tube DAC/preamp/amp/floor-standing home audio system? I'm asking because my current cd transport is using high quality drive mechanism which is already discontinued (Philips cd pro 2), so it will become the achilles heel of my cd transport, when it's broken one day it's almost impossible to find replacement unit. Can a DAP (with a dedicated digital output) match the sound quality that a dedicated cd transport can deliver to satisfy a hard-core home audiophile? Thank you.
Great question! Please reach out to us here and we'd be happy to discuss with you further: www.moon-audio.com/contact-us
@@moon-audio wow that’s some bs right there. Great question... but you won’t answer it for the rest of us. Just give a summarizing reply at least!
Still waiting for one small dap for gym. Lace around the neck or strong clip. And small qith 100mw power
Will any of these work with iTunes?
Or am I in over my head
These devices cannot run iTunes as they do not have an Apple operating system. There are a few potential solutions to this, however, so please reach out here for additional guidance: www.moon-audio.com/contact-us
@@moon-audio Thank you for the reply.!!
"Doesn't see your bank account..." *[MSRP $749]*
Yeah, your idea of depleting the bank account and mine are very different, lol.
Any videos for DAPs @ $300 or less? Thanks!
Im looking for a mid range DAP $500-$700 not the best out there but not worse
In your price range, the iBasso DX170 is a great option: www.moon-audio.com/ibasso-dx170-dap-music-player.html
If you are willing to spend a bit more, the Sony NW-ZX707 www.moon-audio.com/sony-walkman-nw-zx707-music-player.html is also an excellent choice!
Touchscreen, Bluethooth, accu running 6-8H?? Please make a video from players without the terror of permanent run out of power....
Will they play audible?
Yes! You can download audible on man of these DAPs and listen to your audiobooks and podcasts in the highest possible quality!
I'm interested in the DX170, can it be shipped to Mexico?
For all sales questions, please reach out here: www.moon-audio.com/contact-us 🙂
They should make those with a phone function!
For that price...
FiiO M11 Plus for the Win!
How you compare m11 to dx240? Don't know what to choose.
@@TheCorstenn Depends what sort of sound signature you want, DX240 has a warm signature whereas M11 is more neutral sounding, suggest listening to both.
Hi there. Your videos and channel sound like what I am looking for. I was one of those people who started out using the iPod. Now, I would like to be able to take the CDs that I have, burn them to a computer and then transfer them to a player. I am also trying to figure out how to transfer the digital music I have on apple to a different tablet or Windows computer.
We have this CD Ripper on our website: www.moon-audio.com/astell-kern-ak-cd-ripper-mkii.html with this unit you don't even need to use your computer (unless you would like to.) It will work directly with your DAP to rip your collection to your player in a easy to set up process!
@@moon-audio Thank you so much. I will look into that.
Is there a dap that can play TH-cam videos? Thanks!
iBasso, Cayin, and the new Sony DAPs all have a full app store, so you would be able to download and access TH-cam. It's worth point out that TH-cam does not have the best audio quality, so you'd be better off using a music streaming service like Qobuz or TIdal if you are focused on listening to music.
@@moon-audio thank you, very appreciated! I do have tidal but they are limited compared to TH-cam....
where is the best place for a DAP noob to go? I need to learn about the codecs, bitrates, streaming platforms, everything! thanks
Hey Malthus! Check out our guide here: www.moon-audio.com/streaming-music-headphones-guide.html Let us know if you have any questions!
@@moon-audio cool thanks, I will!
Where is the buying guide
You can check out our DAP Buying Guide here: www.moon-audio.com/dap-buying-guide 🙂
Great video and some good points raised,its a pity fiio wasn't mentioned as it should definitely be mentioned in best daps wether its fiio m17 or m11 plus ltd i would really like your opinion on them,after reading through the comments below i noticed you said you can only talk about the daps you sell so the headline of this video is a little misleading as it should say best daps for 2022 that we sell!how can you be subjective/objective if you will only review the daps you sell?I'm new to the dap world and have gone from the LG v60 with audioquest cobalt paired with sony wh1000xm3 to the m11 plus ltd paired with sennheiser 660s and its a massive upgrade to my ears and I love the sound of it,I really value experts opinions when watching and trying to learn more about how to get the best sound from my music I was just surprised to see fiio not get a mention I guess in best daps for 2022
Sorry you felt the title was misleading! Our "best of" videos reflect our favorite products in different categories, and we do our best to lay that out in each of our video introductions. Thanks for your comment though! 🙂
hi, thank you for reviewing. do you think it is better to have no wife for a music player like Sony NW-ZX507 Walkman Hi-Res 64GB Player?
Be honest please, really make some difference? or just for demanding audio lovers?
Yes, DAPs make a very big difference in sound quality! Everyone has their own value that they place on improved sound quality, so if it's worth it to you it comes down to personal preference.
How would you compare the audio quality to a MCD12000 to the SP3000? My uncle is telling me to return my SP3000 and get the MCD12000.
Any of these water resistant?
no
I'd like to be able to listen to all the music I want to without internet connections. Like if I'm out in the mountains or in a dead zone driving
Many DAPs have a sizable internal drive for storing music on the unit without internet. Many DAPs also support up to 1TB MicroSD cards so you can store a very sizable collection fully offline. For even more storage, you can swap out cards! 🙂
AK SE180 +SEM2 👍🏼👍🏼
Great choice! Be sure to check out our SEM1-4 Comparison here: th-cam.com/video/2G0zE18B9Ts/w-d-xo.html