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I wonder... how and when people use their DAP or portable Dac/Amp.......

wsdc

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Posing this to gain insight over how everyone is using either a dedicated DAP or a combination of mobile with portable Dc/Amp strap-on. Been having a couple of DAP over the years but non last long as I find it's too cumbersome to carry another device when your mobile phone does the same thing albeit not having the SQ. Same case with strap-on Dac/Amp, so settle on a Dac/Amp dongle. Tried Bluetooth modules but still prefers wired, loved to hear others opinion and views.
 

Patrick1958

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Privacy !!!
Carrying my smartphone with me half the internet knows how to find me, google, my service provider and who knows how many other apps can pinpoint my excact location, not so with my dap. Ps : i don't take my phone with me when walking/bicycling, there are times i like to be alone.
 

xykreinov

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Privacy !!!
Carrying my smartphone with me half the internet knows how to find me, google, my service provider and who knows how many other apps can pinpoint my excact location, not so with my dap. Ps : i don't take my phone with me when walking/bicycling, there are times i like to be alone.
A good reason. Airplane mode with de-googled android or Sailfish OS suits me fine. If I need to make a call, respond to pending texts, etc., airplane mode goes off. If not, it's on. No emfs, no problem. :) Obviously, no cell-phone is best. But, I gotta have one at the moment. So, I might as well have the potential functionality of a PDA minus common cucksoomer smartphone tracking instead of carrying around a spybrick lacking in functionality. Add in a MiniDSP IL-DSP and things are just ducky.
>i don't take my phone with me when walking/bicycling, there are times i like to be alone
Same here. I often need space to just think. Luckily was somehow never lured into the constant pain-numbing distractions lifestyle.
 
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xykreinov

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I use DAPs because phones don't have buttons any more.
If I had much moolah, I'd somehow create a case that has a sweet volume knob and a few programmable buttons. I'm surprised at how that's not a thing yet.
 

maverickronin

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If I had much moolah, I'd somehow create a case that has a sweet volume knob and a few programmable buttons. I'm surprised at how that's not a thing yet.

That would be cool but I wonder if it would even work without rooting/jailbreaking the phone.
 

xykreinov

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That would be cool but I wonder if it would even work without rooting/jailbreaking the phone.
I doubt that would be necessary at all. Most portable dac/amps with nobs and switches communicate fine over usb without drivers, let alone root/jailbreak. Don't see why the case would have to function fundamentally differently. Hey, the case could have a built in MiniDSP IL-DSP or something of the like.... dang that'd be slick......
 

Jmudrick

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I have two phones, the LG V30+ functions essentially as DAP and backup phone. I still keep my Pixel 2 for phone duty except when traveling.
 

maverickronin

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I doubt that would be necessary at all. Most portable dac/amps with nobs and switches communicate fine over usb without drivers, let alone root/jailbreak. Don't see why the case would have to function fundamentally differently. Hey, the case could have a built in MiniDSP IL-DSP or something of the like.... dang that'd be slick......

Maybe it's it better now. I haven't changed phones in long time because it's such a pain.
 

xykreinov

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Maybe it's it better now. I haven't changed phones in long time because it's such a pain.
Ah. Don't waste money if you don't have to. The diminishing returns rose their sharpest after 2016 and never fell, in my book. I have a flagship from 2017 and I gotta say, my 2011 Sony Xperia Play still can get the job done. I find it silly how high peoples' requirements for their little social media boxes are. Do they think the latest and greatest processors are gonna make their Instagrams and twatters magically work noticeably faster?
I dunno. I'm salty I guess.
 

gikigill

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Ah. Don't waste money if you don't have to. The diminishing returns rose their sharpest after 2016 and never fell, in my book. I have a flagship from 2017 and I gotta say, my 2011 Sony Xperia Play still can get the job done. I find it silly how high peoples' requirements for their little social media boxes are. Do they think the latest and greatest processors are gonna make their Instagrams and twatters magically work noticeably faster?
I dunno. I'm salty I guess.

Storage and Cameras are two things that have vastly improved.

UFS 3.0 and the new multi lens depth sensing camera set ups are absolutely worth upgrading if you are due for an upgrade.

Regarding OP's question,I use my portable setup if I have to commute on Public Transport or in my Office.

Transportable setup is ifi iMicro Black Label receiving an input from my phone via TIDAL/Local Storage feeding closed backs or IEM.s

I am not ashamed of my audio so I proudly wear these in Melbourne trains:p

https://snext-final.com/en/products/detail/SONOROUSIV.html

https://store.sony.com.au/archived-headphones-home/MDRZ7.html

https://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/archive_products/TH-600.shtml
 

raif71

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I have several combination of DAPs and dac/amps for usage

1) Sony NW-A105 with Fiio A5
2) Fiio X3II with Fiio q5s
3) Fiio X3II with Chord Mojo
4) Fiio M6 with nx4 dsd
5) Sony NW-A45, Shanling M0 with JDS Labs Atom/Topping D50s/Fiio K5 Pro

Option 1-4 are mobile setups while 5 is desktop setups. I don't use my phone for music listening.

Edit: I have 2 units of Fiio X3II
 

Wombat

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Ah. Don't waste money if you don't have to. The diminishing returns rose their sharpest after 2016 and never fell, in my book. I have a flagship from 2017 and I gotta say, my 2011 Sony Xperia Play still can get the job done. I find it silly how high peoples' requirements for their little social media boxes are. Do they think the latest and greatest processors are gonna make their Instagrams and twatters magically work noticeably faster?
I dunno. I'm salty I guess.

My 2011 Samsung Galaxy S2 has served me well. It now randomly cuts the sound to either end of conversations.

A Galaxy A50 is in its way to replace the S2. The A50 has a headphone jack, the latest OS(I can now use the phone as a remote control for the Google Chrome Audio) FM radio and all of those S2 features(most unused) and more - and low price(clearance). It will play music well enough for my old ears.

Fuji and Canon cameras for better snaps.

I have one of these(2005 model) in a drawer somewhere - a whole 30Gb of storage(7500 songs, they claim).

IPod_classic.png

What more do I need? ;)
 
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majingotan

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I use an iPod Touch 7G with Fiio BTR5 BT DAC/amp (for YouTube vids, podcasts and music discovery) and the A&Ultima SP2000 DAP (commute and office). I prefer to purchase my music than stream it. Also, I like to have a lightweight bag for carrying that setup to work everyday so having one more device other than my cell phone is never an issue for me

IMG_1828.jpg
 

maverickronin

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Ah. Don't waste money if you don't have to. The diminishing returns rose their sharpest after 2016 and never fell, in my book. I have a flagship from 2017 and I gotta say, my 2011 Sony Xperia Play still can get the job done. I find it silly how high peoples' requirements for their little social media boxes are. Do they think the latest and greatest processors are gonna make their Instagrams and twatters magically work noticeably faster?
I dunno. I'm salty I guess.

Nah. I keep expecting this phone bubble to crash, but it just keeps going.

So much hassle to switch too. Especially now that removing features is so popular. Find one that still has a headphone jack, is easy to root, try out a bunch of ROMs, customize everything, etc, etc. I seriously had to hack the god damned camera app to get rid of the fake shutter sound so I could take pictures of my pet bird without startling her. I'm assuming you can't turn it off due to a misguided attempt to prevent upskirting or something. FFS Samsung...

Now that I've beat the software into submission my S5 still works just fine.

Storage and Cameras are two things that have vastly improved.

Better camera is the only thing would I actually use.

My phone mostly just makes calls or looks up prices comparisons or coupons when I'm shopping B&M.
 

Asylum Seeker

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Privacy !!!
Carrying my smartphone with me half the internet knows how to find me, google, my service provider and who knows how many other apps can pinpoint my excact location, not so with my dap. Ps : i don't take my phone with me when walking/bicycling, there are times i like to be alone.
Airplane Mode.
 

Asylum Seeker

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I use DAPs because phones don't have buttons any more.
A $30 IEM comes with Play/Pause and Track Advance in the cable. Replacement cables with these features are common. . A dedicated dap seems like an awful lot of rouble and expense just for music control.
 

Asylum Seeker

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Posing this to gain insight over how everyone is using either a dedicated DAP or a combination of mobile with portable Dc/Amp strap-on. Been having a couple of DAP over the years but non last long as I find it's too cumbersome to carry another device when your mobile phone does the same thing albeit not having the SQ. Same case with strap-on Dac/Amp, so settle on a Dac/Amp dongle. Tried Bluetooth modules but still prefers wired, loved to hear others opinion and views.
Less and less user of DACs and headphone amps now that I've gone down the IEM rabbit hole. The transducer is the weakest link by several orders of magnitude.

Moksha is at hand and it is mobile! Tethers is the source of all suffering.
IMG-20200408-WA0002.jpg
 

maverickronin

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A $30 IEM comes with Play/Pause and Track Advance in the cable. Replacement cables with these features are common. . A dedicated dap seems like an awful lot of rouble and expense just for music control.

Those pretty much always have the control module in completely the wrong place, above the y split, so I can't cinch the cable at the back of neck. If I looked hard enough I could probably find one with the controls below the y split, but that still leaves the problems of TRRS plugs having very random compatibility with TRS jacks so I avoid those cables like the plague anyway.
 

Berwhale

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I use...

Source & Control: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (8GB RAM, 512GB Storage + 512GB micro SD card) + USB Audio Player Pro + Spotify.
DAC/Amp: Radsone ES100 connected via Bluetooth (LDAC codec).
IEM: Moondrop Starfield with a 2.5mm balanced cable.
 
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