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Looking for top-tier portable DAC/AMP

gvl

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I've seen Centrance around, but never put ears on them. We need more info here....loving the idea of streaming a FLAC file to the DAC from my phone via Bluetooth. USB is notoriously craptastic (but still better than S/PDIF, in theory), but adding a wireless path to the chain seems fraught with peril. Further, if they are just using AptX or some other codec, then I'll pass. That is not the way to achieve the kind of fidelity I'm hoping for.

They were pretty far ahead in the USB audio game back in the days. Afaik, could be wrong, Benchmark licensed their adaptive implementation at some point. I'd expect their USB inputs to be up to snuff, but of course you never know until you put it on the test bench.
 

dc655321

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Mid-fi? Do you have a list of other portable DAC\amps that are TOTL?

My comments were made tongue-in-cheek. Thus the "so-called"...

Of course the DAPs are spendy, but do they really qualify as more high-end?

No. IMO, their performance in no way, shape, or form justifies their expense.
 

Jorj

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My comments were made tongue-in-cheek. Thus the "so-called"...

No. IMO, their performance in no way, shape, or form justifies their expense.

I did not mean to come off as grouchy, but I wanted to illustrate that my shortlist included the best options I could find for portable gear, and that the price variation between those units and the DAPs listed has no bearing on their relative performance. We're on the same page.
 

The Smokester

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Despite the absence of independent technical measurements, I purchased an Astel&Kern AK380 DAP. Cost ineffectiveness perhaps not withstanding, I am more than satisfied with this player.

To the OP, I would also recommend getting custom IEMs. (I know you already using them, but...) I have the Jerry Harvey JH13PRO2s. These sound great with surprisingly powerful bass. Review here: https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/totl-madness-24-top-line-custom-ear-monitors-reviewed. They are more compact than headphones and ideal for travel. Noise isolation is as good or better than the latest Bose 35 II headphones. Put the Bose over the EIMs and...Well, what?

Amir: I would be amused if you measured the AK380. Want me to send it up? Also have the matching amp and have been curious as to its output impedance. I will be away on a Transpacific ocean race and return for July and August (2018) so that would give you some opportunity to do the measurements.
 

Jorj

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Despite the absence of independent technical measurements, I purchased an Astel&Kern AK380 DAP. Cost ineffectiveness perhaps not withstanding, I am more than satisfied with this player..

Any guidance for us behind why you chose that model over the Sony, Lotoo or others out there? I have K10 customs on the way, and when they arrive I plan to do some comparative listening if I can find a place that has a selection of DAPs to choose from. My SO would not be impressed with six top-end DAPs showing up on the credit card....well, maybe if I then told her five were going back....
 

The Smokester

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Jorj, Really just a personal decision due to my circumstances. I was sick all through winter 2017, money wasn't an issue and I didn't want to dither as I usually do so I just pushed the button and hoped it all sounded good...Which it did. (Note that the AK380 can stream music from a server, has Tidal built in and has a cradle for connection to a home stereo.)

I suspect that most of the reputable >$500 DAPs are indistinguishable from each other unless they are tweaked for a house sound. Even my Samsung S8+ is pretty good. Probably the earpieces (which are difficult to measure) are where one should audition carefully and, if necessary, pay the big bucks.

A lot of us seek excellent sound with ambient noise isolation in a compact form factor for travel. The combo of AK380 and JH13PRO meets these criteria for me. In fact, aside from getting accustomed to having a tiny "orchestra between the ears", the balanced frequency response and clarity of high-end IEMs and headphones (e.g. Focal Utopias) puts even the highest end stereo systems to shame.

Given the purpose of this forum, it would be nice if measurements were available for portable systems.
 

Jorj

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Given the purpose of this forum, it would be nice if measurements were available for portable systems.

I completely agree, just as with home systems, the transducer is king. Get those outta the way first, and the rest becomes easier, hence the Noble Kaiser for travel listening. Glad to hear the AK380 fills the bill for you. The Sony WM1 line interests me because of the battery life, and streaming is not a requirement for my travel rig since I'm not in range of WiFi most of the time.

Good luck on the race! What crew? I have as a bucket list item a couple of weeks in New Zealand on some of the pastured America's Cup boats. Just can't wait to know what it feels like to be grinding away when they rise up on the foils.
 

The Smokester

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...Good luck on the race! What crew? I have as a bucket list item a couple of weeks in New Zealand on some of the pastured America's Cup boats. Just can't wait to know what it feels like to be grinding away when they rise up on the foils.

No crew for the race...It's the Singlehanded Transpac. Crew for the return.

Wed. I get to race on a Schock 40...Canting keel and two rudders. No, not those two! Rudder fore and aft. Goes to weather like a 747.
 

alex

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I would highly recommend you look into the Dragonfly Red DAC/Amp from audioquest.

https://www.audioquest.com/dacs/dragonfly/dragonfly-red

Its incredibly convenient. Just get a USB-C to USB-A adapter, plug it into your Pixel's USB-C port and you are good to go. It sounds really really good and its an absolute steal at 200 USD. The other thing I would check out is a chord mojo, I don't own one but those two seem to be the best value right now. You can get a used mojo for around 400 on Headfi. Not as convenient as the Dragonfly Red though.

df-main-3.png
 

maxxevv

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You can check out the Sabaj Da2 and Da3 USB amps. Quite some positive reviews of their sound quality.
If you desire one that has a build in battery, the SMSL IQ. Its essentially the Da3 with battery built-in.

If absolute quality is a budget-not-an-issue thing, the Chord Hugo 2. Or a level down but still very, very good, the Chord Mojo .

The Topping NX4 DSD looks promising, but I have not heard nor read any reviews on it yet.
 

Jorj

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I would highly recommend you look into the Dragonfly Red DAC/Amp from audioquest.

THIS. Yes, this is what I'm going to do. I'll use a DFR for mobile duties until I have a chance to hear some of the TOTL options for portables. I'm really interested into the Sony WM1 series. Mainly cause of the battery life.
 
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Arnold Krueger

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alex

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Are people availing themselves of this forum? What about the comparison between these two threads:

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...dea-and-audioquest-dragonfly-black-dacs.2397/

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...hifi-fever-sound-card-sa9023a-es9018k2m.2545/

The dragonfly measurements here appear to me to be largely confirmed by these: https://www.stereophile.com/content/audioquest-dragonfly-usb-da-converter-measurements

Yeah it looks like the Black version doesn't measure that well when you crank up the output. I never use the volume on the Red anywhere near max.

Its quite a big step up from my LGV30 to my ears, which has a pretty nice DAC on paper as well.

I have no experience with the Black version but I think the Red is supposed to be a substantial improvement. I bought it second hand so I didnt really put a huge amount of research into it and don't know what the differences are supposed to be.

It would be interesting to see some measurements of the Red as that seems to be the most popular option by far.
 

rebbiputzmaker

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Its quite a big step up from my LGV30 to my ears, which has a pretty nice DAC on paper as well.
Curious. How were you using the V30, HiFi mode, high impedance mode etc? Surprised the dragonfly was much better.
 

dc655321

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Are people availing themselves of this forum? What about the comparison between these two threads:

https://audiosciencereview.com/foru...dea-and-audioquest-dragonfly-black-dacs.2397/

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...hifi-fever-sound-card-sa9023a-es9018k2m.2545/

The dragonfly measurements here appear to me to be largely confirmed by these: https://www.stereophile.com/content/audioquest-dragonfly-usb-da-converter-measurements

Your Stereophile link is a bit dated. I think it was already mentioned on this forum, but here is their review of the newer DF red/black.

It sounds really really good and its an absolute steal at 200 USD.

The DF Red may sound good (have not listened to the Red, but have tried the Black), but $200 is hardly a "steal".
For < $100, I would consider the SMSL iDEA a much better deal - electrically they're quite similar.
To be fair, the iDEA does consume more juice and does not support MQA (if those are important considerations for you).
Personally, I prefer volume control on the DAC as the iDEA has, rather than the mechanism employed in the Dragonfly.
 

dc655321

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Really it should be us users not supporting it. It's a veiled attempt to lock "hi-res" behind a paywall. Hopefully, like DSD, someone finds away to couple the parts together into FLAC.

I agree. Violently.
To me, it looks like an idea made to fill a niche that does not exist.
 

dc655321

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The Topping NX4 DSD looks promising, but I have not heard nor read any reviews on it yet.

I got one of those about a month ago for use at home with my HD6xx.
Works wonderfully for that use case.

However, I could detect a channel imbalance at low volumes with my FLC8S iems.
It equalizes below normal listening levels (for me), but still... it shouldn't be there at all.
 

Dana reed

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Welcome to the forum. Unfortunately we have not reviewed many high-end portable DACs. I recently reviewed the LH Labs Go2 Pro but unless you have a balanced headphone, it doesn't have much power output.

I am happy to measure one if you get one and loan it to me.
I'd be interested to see measurements on a Pono. It also requires using the balanced out to drive things like HD600 and DT880. I've not used it much lately since I got the Mojo and hooked it to an iPod touch (nice because I can listen to all my lossless and <gasp> Spotify content on one device) I'd be willing to loan the Pono for measurements if there's interest. It's not a standalone DAC, but seems to be a good implementation of the 9018.
 
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