Looking for a good DAP to use primarily for car (with USB)

[Awesoman]

My Ipod Classic has finally died and now I'm in need of a good replacement to use for primarily when I'm in the car. My connection options are USB or regular auxiliary. I would prefer something I can plug into the USB that I can use my dashboard controls to skip songs if possible. My car isn't really Bluetooth friendly so I wouldn't be able to use that option. The FiiO M6 intrigues me but I'm not sure how well it does with the car. Definitely want to be able to play hi-res audio but am not looking for a high-end device that costs over $1000. Keeping my price range down to several hundred dollars. Can anyone please offer me some suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[JustAnandaDourEyedDude]

My Ipod Classic has finally died and now I'm in need of a good replacement to use for primarily when I'm in the car. My connection options are USB or regular auxiliary. I would prefer something I can plug into the USB that I can use my dashboard controls to skip songs if possible. My car isn't really Bluetooth friendly so I wouldn't be able to use that option. The FiiO M6 intrigues me but I'm not sure how well it does with the car. Definitely want to be able to play hi-res audio but am not looking for a high-end device that costs over $1000. Keeping my price range down to several hundred dollars. Can anyone please offer me some suggestions?

Thanks!

I (still) recommend the iBasso DX160 for the sub $1000 category. To play hi-res files, I think you would have to set the DX160 in line-out mode (it just sets the phone out to max volume) and plug it into the Aux In of your dashboard player. I am doubtful that you could use a DAP as just a transport and plug it into the USB In port of your dashboard player, unless you are sure that the DAC in the latter supports hi-res playback. The FiiO M6 seems like an excellent though more expensive option, while not providing anything better for the higher price.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...looking-for-inexpensive-dap.16259/post-533487
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...loud-mtm-and-hifiman-re2000.21035/post-698891
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ng-for-a-dap-recommendation.20902/post-695979
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...s/need-help-picking-out-dap.15367/post-487391

I myself use just a USB flash drive (much cheaper than a DAP) permanently plugged into the USB Input port of my dashboard player, which has no problem playing back the mp3 and CD-quality flac files on the flash drive. I have not tried to play hi-res flac or DSD files that way, as I have no particular interest in hi-res audio files, so I have no idea whether the dashboard player in my two-year-old car can handle hi-res files. Even if the player could decode hi-res, and if my hearing were super sensitive enough to tell the difference in an absolutely silent room, when I am in the car the road and wind noise makes the whole question of hi-res a moot one. The dashboard player in my previous (now 11 yo) car could handle only mp3 files and not flac or dsd. Of course, a USB flash drive would not work for you when you are not in your car. I use a DAP when I am not in my car. I own the DX160 and it is a mighty fine DAP (which I have used with the Aux In of my dashboard player), though I am currently using the FiiO M15 which is not really better in any significant way than the DX160.