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Asking for a DAP recommendation

Rottmannash

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Thank you! The documentation on these things are less than awful...
I couldn't find the Line Out switch on the 5. If it's like the R3 it'll set the volume to 100
It's just a drag down menu.
 

Rottmannash

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Destination: Moon

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If you look at the R5 specs, https://porta.fi/hiby-r5-review-size-is-not-the-only-thing-that-matters/

View attachment 115918

For connecting to your external stereo amp, try the LO (line out) , for headphones use PO (phone out). For LO, I think volume will be fixed which you can check by increasing/decreasing volume and hear how your stereo setup sounds

So it's there a technical reason to drive the amp in the DAP so hard? I always thought pushing any electronics to the limit introduces distortion? I would have thought that 75 percent would be the sweet spot since that puts the pot on my integrated amp around 45???
 

majingotan

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So it's there a technical reason to drive the amp in the DAP so hard? I always thought pushing any electronics to the limit introduces distortion? I would have thought that 75 percent would be the sweet spot since that puts the pot on my integrated amp around 45???

When you run your DAP to a preamp/headphone amp/power amp, the DAP experiences NO Load condition where Voltage is the only factor in the signal (current is minimized to insignificant amount) thus you're experiencing the full scale SINAD when you set your DAP volume to max (why SINAD graphs are determined by standard 2V (unbalanced) 1KHz signal)
 
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Destination: Moon

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I spent some time doing some critical listening with the units set to LO and the Gain at Low. My perception's have not changed. The R3 Saber is an amazing little player with a sound stage and signature thats almost startling. The R5 Saber is much more stable and the form factor is much nicer to interact with. I would keep it in a heartbeat if the sound it produced was as good as the R3 Saber to my ears. But its not. There is something much less engaging to the sound. Its like a wall of sound with good detail where the R3 has much better separation of the instruments. Its hard to describe but kills the R5 for me......

If anyone has a suggestion of something better the the R3 Saber but with a better, more stable form factor and OS then I'm all ears!
 

Rottmannash

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I spent some time doing some critical listening with the units set to LO and the Gain at Low. My perception's have not changed. The R3 Saber is an amazing little player with a sound stage and signature thats almost startling. The R5 Saber is much more stable and the form factor is much nicer to interact with. I would keep it in a heartbeat if the sound it produced was as good as the R3 Saber to my ears. But its not. There is something much less engaging to the sound. Its like a wall of sound with good detail where the R3 has much better separation of the instruments. Its hard to describe but kills the R5 for me......

If anyone has a suggestion of something better the the R3 Saber but with a better, more stable form factor and OS then I'm all ears!
Why Lo Gain? Did u listen at full volume?
 
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Destination: Moon

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Thanks for picking up on that.... Yup, I set both players to Low Gain and Max Volume....

I just re read all the posts here and I'm guessing that I saw the word LO and latched onto it as low, not line out..... So it should be hi gain and Max volume for Line Out?
 

Rottmannash

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Thanks for picking up on that.... Yup, I set both players to Low Gain and Max Volume....

I just re read all the posts here and I'm guessing that I saw the word LO and latched onto it as low, not line out..... So it should be hi gain and Max volume for Line Out?
Ideally. Make sure you've disabled MSEB and the equalizer on the R5. Have you updated the firmware? If not do that as well.
 
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Destination: Moon

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Ideally. Make sure you've disabled MSEB and the equalizer on the R5. Have you updated the firmware? If not do that as well.


Thanks once again! I sent the R5 back tonight. The guy selling these on Amazon is a small business and I wanted to get his inventory back into his hands ASAP.

With the devices set essentially the same the little High Hiby blows me away. I was listening to it when you cleared up my misunderstanding. On hi gain at similar listening volume, the bass seemed a little punchier. But I doubt it would have made a night and day difference vs the 5. The R3 just sounds far better to my ears, after spending time with them both. It conures a live band into my living room - pure Magic! If the 5 was as good or better, I would have happily kept it. It's a much nicer device. The little R3 is kinda fiddly - but punches far above it's weight.....

Thanks again for all your help
 
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Destination: Moon

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Yeah, Hiby link is the sh^t ! I think the ESS is why I like the R3 so much more than the 5 saber I just returned.
I'm kinda new at the HD side of this but from what I read about the dac chip sets it aligns with my experience. Once you hear these nuances it sort of changes the whole experience
 

Rottmannash

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Yeah, Hiby link is the sh^t ! I think the ESS is why I like the R3 so much more than the 5 saber I just returned.
I'm kinda new at the HD side of this but from what I read about the dac chip sets it aligns with my experience. Once you hear these nuances it sort of changes the whole experience
I'm confused. If you can't hear above 4K I'd think it wouldn't matter which DAP or chipset were involved. Have you had a proper hearing test done? 4K isn't terribly high in frequency.
 

Rottmannash

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Also be careful- make sure whomever you purchased the R3 Pro from is an authorized seller or Hiby may not honor the warranty.
 

Rottmannash

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Just noticed the R3 uses the ES9028Q2M DAC chip where the R3 Pro uses the CS43131 and the R5 Saber uses CS43198 (2 of them), as does the OG R5.
 
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Destination: Moon

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I'm confused. If you can't hear above 4K I'd think it wouldn't matter which DAP or chipset were involved. Have you had a proper hearing test done? 4K isn't terribly high in frequency.

It's been 5 years or longer but that was my last test. I've suffered some serious damage over the years. I know it's confusing.....I hear things my wife never hears unless I point it out. And her ears are undamaged.

On the other hand, sometimes an electronic device in the house will beep or ping and I can't hear it at all. It's pitch or tone being outside my range.
I think some of my sensitivity is due to paying attention. I've always had a good sense of taste and smell. Being able to reconstruct food dishes or smelling animals and gas leaks that don't register on other people.
I don't think it's anything special, just paying attention to your senses and the outside world in general
 
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Acerun

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Taking you up on 'any suggestions'..:)

For a total of $140, buy a $30 LG Rebel TracFone:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QHQ79XH/

And a $110 Qudelix 5k.:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088F7C976/

https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/qudelix-5k-bluetooth-dac-headphone-amp.17386/

You will also need an OTG USB micro cable, the 3-ended type will let you use and charge simultaneously:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B6CRW6D/

And then a USB-C male to usb male adapter for the Qudelix:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CZVEUIE/

You now have a $150 DAP with full 10-band PEQ.

Throw away the TracFone sim card. No need to activate. It will work fine on wifi without it. Standard Android 8 - load Amazon Music, tidal, spotify - music streaming apps of your choice.

I use this setup for my 'portable' rig with an HE400i in 2.5mm Balanced mode, or K371 in unbalanced 3.5mm.

You would use your 3.5mm male to dual RCA cable for your stereo..
I may be missing something but why wouldn't you just use your normal smartphone, whatever it is via bluetooth or cable into the Qudelix and not have to buy a Rebel? Qudelix Bluetooth it's supposed to measure almost the same as wired isn't it?
 
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Destination: Moon

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I may be missing something but why wouldn't you just use your normal smartphone, whatever it is via bluetooth or cable into the Qudelix and not have to buy a Rebel? Qudelix Bluetooth it's supposed to measure almost the same as wired isn't it?

Because using bluetooth defeats the purpose of owning a high end DAC. When you run BT, the receiving device uses it's DAC to make the conversion
 
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