Budget DAP (below US$100-200) for IEMs?

[Fenny]

So I have been looking around and it's... really hard to pick a good choice considering my budget (100 usd, up to 200 usd if I really pushes it but I'd rather not). The IEM i'm going to use on it is going to be Dunu DN142.

Preferably has neutral-lean for the DAP.

Needs:

* USB-C, no proprietary cables
* Not Android. I just want to listen to music, but smooth UI/UX. I keep hearing Hiby R3ii has issues...
* Has both 3.5 and 4.4 jack
* Either has big internal or can accept SD Card
* Has knob for volumes, and buttons for play/pause, skip and backtrack so it feels tactile while used.
* Gapless playback, since I have some albums to listen to.

Right now the cheapest I can find is Hidizs AP80 Pro Max, even if it's 203 usd over here... but is there any other possible choice?

 

[Subob]

Tempotec Variations V1. Fantastic little DAP that punches way above it's price point!, IMHO. It ticks every single one of your boxes, except one (if I'm understanding what you mean correctly?).

It has physical buttons but the volume isn't in the form of a knob, like the Hidizs you mention or a lot of ibasso DAPs.

Personally, I see the lack of a volume knob as a pro, not a con, since it seems much less likely to get damaged, but I do understand that everyone has their own very specific preferences.

Also, if you read Amir's review of the Hidizs, that volume knob takes a lot of turning, apparently. Noted as a negative for Amir.

 

[Fenny]

Tempotec Variations V1. [Snipped for brevity]

Unfortunately I can't find Tempotec v1 being sold over here and importing is going to be heavy on tariff and the shipping cost, but I will try to see how to work with that.

And oh yeah, I did read Amir"s review on the Hidizs, and personally the slow turn isn't an issue for me since I tend to play on low volume (i often played at 8-10 out of 100 on my laptop for example) anyway.

But yeah thank you for the rec, I will try to see if I can find Tempotec V1 somehow!

 

[Subob]

Btw, I don't quite get what you mean by 'neutral-lean for the DAP'.

If you mean sound signature?, I would personally forget all that. The sound signature is going to come from the iems or headphones you're using, not likely any perceivable difference from the DAP. If you're unhappy with the sound signature then either eq your iems/hp or try different ones.

 

[Fenny]

Btw, I don't quite get what you mean by 'neutral-lean for the DAP'.

If you mean sound signature?, I would personally forget all that. The sound signature is going to come from the iems or headphones you're using, not likely any perceivable difference from the DAP. If you're unhappy with the sound signature then either eq your iems/hp or try different ones.

Ah gotcha, I said it since a lot of the reviews seems to talk about how the DAP sounds neutral or a bit warm or brighter and some such. In that case then I don't see much of an issue then. Thank you!

 

[Subob]

Unfortunately I can't find Tempotec v1 being sold over here and importing is going to be heavy on tariff and the shipping cost, but I will try to see how to work with that.

And oh yeah, I did read Amir"s review on the Hidizs, and personally the slow turn isn't an issue for me since I tend to play on low volume (i often played at 8-10 out of 100 on my laptop for example) anyway.

But yeah thank you for the rec, I will try to see if I can find Tempotec V1 somehow!

Oh, that's a shame. Have you tried Ebay or other secondhand places? I picked mine up secondhand off of Ebay. In fact, all my DAPs have been secondhand, and I've never had a problem with any of them.

Love your point about the volume knob slow turn on that Hidizs not being an issue for you. It wouldn't be for me either, but worth pointing out, just in case. Sounds like a really nice little DAP from the review and further comments, but I've not used it myself to be able to comment.

 

[tccalvin]

a lot of the reviews seems to talk about how the DAP sounds neutral or a bit warm or brighter and some such.

I wouldn't put much trust in what reviewers say about the sound of a device if they don't have any measurements to back up what they say.

Unfortunately our ears (and brains) are easily mistaken. Sometimes we perceive a difference in frequency just because we're listening at a louder volume, for example.

It's likely not the reviewers' fault. Most people don't know these things and just report their experience.

Btw, I'm personally eyeing the FiiO JM21.

 

[Fenny]

Oh, that's a shame. Have you tried Ebay or other secondhand places? I picked mine up secondhand off of Ebay. In fact, all my DAPs have been secondhand, and I've never had a problem with any of them.

Love your point about the volume knob slow turn on that Hidizs not being an issue for you. It wouldn't be for me either, but worth pointing out, just in case. Sounds like a really nice little DAP from the review and further comments, but I've not used it myself to be able to comment.

Ebay will be awful for shipping and tariffs haha, but it's okay, I will find a way xD hopefully in the coming months someone will sell something- i will see. I also don't mind getting secondhand, I only managed to get my IEM since it's not full priced haha.

I wouldn't put much trust in what reviewers say about the sound of a device if they don't have any measurements to back up what they say.

Unfortunately our ears (and brains) are easily mistaken. Sometimes we perceive a difference in frequency just because we're listening at a louder volume, for example.

It's likely not the reviewers' fault. Most people don't know these things and just report their experience.

Btw, I'm personally eyeing the FiiO JM21.

And gotcha! Thank you for your pov, and JM21 looks great. Have heard good stuff about FiiO

 

[Subob]

I wouldn't put much trust in what reviewers say about the sound of a device if they don't have any measurements to back up what they say.

Unfortunately our ears (and brains) are easily mistaken. Sometimes we perceive a difference in frequency just because we're listening at a louder volume, for example.

It's likely not the reviewers' fault. Most people don't know these things and just report their experience.

There's an awful lot of biases going on as well.

For example. I can convince myself that my ibasso dx300 is the 'best sounding' DAP I've ever heard, of course, compared to my other much cheaper ones, lol.

In reality, all it really offers over my other ones is much more power, should I need to drive anything overly demanding. I don't have a desktop set up, and so the dx300 does that job perfectly for my needs.

Volume matched, in a blind test, I'm pretty certain I would not be able to tell the difference between any of my DAPs.

 

[Fenny]

Question, between Shanling M1 Plus, and Hidizs AP80 Pro Max, which one will be better and have better software support?

The Shanling is 192 usd, and the Hidizs is 204 usd... So it's not too much of a difference.

 

[Fenny]

On the Hidisz, if the screen is on when you turn the volume knob, you can then use the screen to adjust the volume very quickly.

At least that’s how the Pro-X works. I’d image the Pro-Max would work the same.

If you don’t need WiFi and streaming the Pro-X has the same DAC and amp, and is a bit cheaper. It sound good (to me).

Oooo. Pro X doesn't sound bad either, although I'm uncertain since it doesn't have 4.4 iirc?

 

[Subob]

I briefly had the Shanling M0 pro, since the aim at the time was for the tiniest I could go for walking to work and using BT TWS. It also had its own unique adapter that allowed you to also go balanced rather than just 3.5mm single ended, I seem to remember.

It was a nice little thing, but I eventually moved it on for reasons I can't quite remember now. I think my use cases just changed at the time.

 

[Fenny]

I briefly had the Shanling M0 pro, since the aim at the time was for the tiniest I could go for walking to work and using BT TWS. It also had its own unique adapter that allowed you to also go balanced rather than just 3.5mm single ended, I seem to remember.

It was a nice little thing, but I eventually moved it on for reasons I can't quite remember now. I think my use cases just changed at the time.

Gotcha, thank you for the reply having a tiny thing honestly is pretty appealing, but a lot of the non android DAPs are small as heck already anyway xD