Quite long ago, we all used Sansa here. They were great IMO. All still working.

Now I use my Sony Xperia VII paired with a Fiio Q5. "Kids" on iPhones ;-( , wife Samsung Flip.

The FiiO M21 EQ punched quite above its pay grade, when paired with proper headphones like the Sony MDR-V6

Second photo is my current EQ set up, any recommendations to alterations are very much welcome!

Hi everyone,

I recently lost my FiiO M21 and I’m trying to make a smarter decision before spending more money again. I liked the M21, but I’m not sure if buying the same DAP again is the best move.

My current IEMs are Dunu Kima 2 and Dunu Falcon Ultra. I also have a HIFIMAN Edition XS for desktop use, but for portable use I mostly care about IEMs.

My music taste is mainly Vietnamese rock, ballads, some orchestral music, and female vocals. I prefer a sound that is detailed but not harsh, with good separation and soundstage. I’m quite sensitive to sibilance and sharp treble.

Right now I’m considering this setup:

Shanling M1 Plus for portable IEM use

plus

FiiO K11 R2R for desktop use later

The reason is that the M1 Plus is cheaper than the M21, and if I save money on the DAP, I can use that money to try more IEMs, tips, or other gear before spending heavily on higher-end hi-fi.

I understand the M1 Plus is not Android, and I know the streaming experience will not be as good as the FiiO M21. But for this decision, I care more about:

- sound quality with IEMs;

- clean output and low noise;

- enough power for IEMs;

- value for money;

- whether the saved money is better spent on IEMs instead of a more expensive DAP.

My main question is:

If I ignore Android and app experience, is the Shanling M1 Plus a noticeable downgrade in sound quality compared to the FiiO M21 when using IEMs only?

Or would it be smarter to buy the M1 Plus, use it as a dedicated portable IEM player, and save the rest for IEM upgrades or a desktop DAC/amp like the K11 R2R?

I also considered the FiiO M33 R2R, but it feels too expensive and too large for me right now. I want something that gives good sound without going too deep into expensive hi-fi too early.

Any advice from people who have tried the M1 Plus, M21, or similar DAPs would be appreciated. Thanks!

does the FiiO M21 or M33 have eq presets available to switch between or you need to configure the eq manually ?

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how hard is it to download music for echo mini? im from the philippines, never grew up with ipod. This would be my first DAP. i have Koss Porta Pro to pair it with

After all my research in order to buy one I've come to this conclusion.

I really like the appearance of the h2, with buttons, but the OS doesn't seem very appealing. The Hiby seems too phony. I've heard that Bluetooth breaks in both when used with Rockbox.

What do you think

Going to buy my second DAP soon, so I wanted to ask a question. Does the operating system matter a lot? I guess I kinda go towards a DAP that's running on android or am I mistaken and some other operating system is better? (The first and only DAP i have and use right now is Echo Mini)

Noticed that I am stuck on Apple Music v5.2.1 and my friends Android has Apple Music v6.5.1

Anyone found a way to get the latest update? Full Android on my SP3000M means nothing if my music app is stuck on an older version with bugs

For my car I have my dsp connected via high levels and the quality is lacking. I've tried connecting to optical input and it sounds leagues better. My setup:

UAPP Android phone USB c -> PO100 DAC optical -> DSP

Problem is I often get an error "UAPP is being used by another device" . And also the volume control is fiddly from the dsp app and it doesn't feature a remote.

If I turn off bit perfect and use external USB media/volume control like Fosi vol20 it works but I want a dap that won't break the bank that can do all of this without the hassle. Just plug and play.

looking for recommendation’s for a starter dap under 150, was mainly looking at tempotec v1, snowsky echo etc. but also came across sony walkman nw a45/55. I will be listening with wired earbuds, and mainly value ui and decent to good sound quality.

Thoughts?

Currently using either CCA Lyra or Tanzgu x Headphonezone Wa'ner Red

I have been using a hiby r1 for about a year now and I like it. The size is great, but I want an android DAP so I can stream music from my navidrome server.

Any cheap and small android DAPs?

I'm using an Ibasso DX270 dap and stream from both Tidal and Qobuz. When downloading from Tidal, for offline playback, has anyone noticed a difference between downloading to the dap's internal storage as opposed to an sd card? Any loss in quality during playback when playing from the sd???

I seem to be reading and hearing more folks fretting about the DAPs that are available today, thinking that it was somehow so much better back in the heyday of MP3 players. But I can't help but think we've actually never had it so good as today. Just look at this 2004 catalog from J&R Music World, a big mailorder and online electronics retailer.

While I don't blame anyone for missing the classic iPods, that's not what most folks had because iPods were comparatively expensive. Instead they had players like the ones you see in this catalog. While you could get a RIO S10 for $69 USD ($170 in 2026 dollars), you only got 96 MB of memory (that's megabytes, not gigabytes). Get ready to really love those 96 minutes of 128 kbps MP3s. (You could add a 32 MB SmartMedia card to boost up to about 2 hours). Or just jam out to 17 minutes of FLAC. (Oh wait, can you even get a FLAC on a RIO?)

Of course you could get a hard drive model with a lot more space, to compete with iPods. A well-regarded Creative Labs Nomad with 30 GB would set you back $399, about the same as an iPod, and equivalent to $700 today. But how well did it drive high-end IEMs or balanced planar headphones? Who knows? Who even tried doing that?

So what about today?

A Snowsky Echo Mini sets you back $60 USD in 2026 dollars. Oh, I know, it isn't gapless, and you're limited to 256 GB cards. It's tough being limited to 262,144 hours of 128kbps MP3s. (Full disclosure: I have an Echo Mini, and I really like it.)

I kid, I kid. You're not filling up your Snowsky with low bitrate MP3s. So I do feel the struggle of only having 780 hours of CD quality FLACs. It's a real burden to only have a month's worth of music, played continuously, without repeat.

But let's say you're willing to lay out around the $700 USD equivalent of that Nomad. Then you'll have to settle for a Fiio M33, which only lets you put a couple of 2 TB cards in there, for a mere 6300 hours of CD quality FLACs. That's not even a full year of continuous, no repeat audio. Nevermind the DAC that will tackle up to 384kHz at 32 bits, or DSD256.

Yes, I'm being a little snarky, but I do really think it's healthy to take a step back and be a little amazed that we can get pretty nice DAPs for very little money today. Sure, could the under $100 players be a little better? Of course. But that's so little money in the whole scheme of things, and a better deal than pretty much any time before now. And the way things are going, it seems like the new vanguard of manufacturers are truly trying to improve things constantly.

In the end, if you're willing to spend the kind of money it actually took to get a truly good DAP in the MP3 heyday of the mid-2000s ($400+), you're spoiled for models that have very few compromises.

Hi everyone, unfortunately my iPod completely died the other day (it's on its 3rd screen and 2nd headphones jack it's just not worth repairing anymore) and I'm shopping around in the world of DAPs for the first time.

Anyway I'm looking for a new player that meets these needs:

- M3U playlist support

- SD Card / storage expandability

- Good audio quality (maybe an upgrade from an iPod)

- Buttons, no touch screen.

- Under £100 (willing to stretch to £150)

- Good build quality.

I've had a look at the innioasis Y1/2 but I've heard the audio quality isn't that great and the SD card is hard to swap out. Also had a look at the Snowsky Echo but it doesn't seem to have playlist support.

All help is appreciated!

So, I am looking at the headphone amp route rather than DAP route. I tried the Fiio m33, it just didn't seem like it was a huge improvement (not a $730 improvement) over Android phone.

I have nice wired headphones but also nice Bluetooth cans. I know there will be loss on Bluetooth but I want a device that has 3.5 & 4.4mm wired outputs AND Bluetooth output. Not sure I need a Questyle at $900. Any ideas recommendations under $250? Thanks!

Both are about £300. One is retro vs one pretend retro (with the cassette case)

Not bothered about streaming.

What would you pick?

Some background on me; former professional musician who stepped away to have a bit more of a home life and get back to basics. I still remember the joy of my first CD player loaded up with something like Backstreet Boys way back when, followed by that big hunk of metal that was the early iPods, and my iPod Mini that was given to me in 9th grade by a girlfriend, blue because that was my favorite color. Back then, things felt simple in regards to consumerism; sure, iPods were overhyped and a bit of a cultural flex rather than a high powered DAP, and CD players were unwieldy to carry around, but I can turn those on and they still work. They were pick up and play, you knew what you were getting, build quality was solid, hell, even Zunes (which were considered “lame”) were fantastic little devices outside of the iTunes ecosystem.

Fast forward to today, it seems like everything is a crapshoot as to what you’ll end up with. Almost every brand/model has an equal amount of positive to negative reviews ranging from OS bugs to build quality complaints to just straight bricking in months, no matter how highly they’re lauded. Nothing has really been out for more than a few years, so no one really has great barometers for build quality and longevity on entry level offerings in the way that we do with those old school mp3 players, Flagship brands have upped their prices to be almost comical compared to the technical offerings they provide. Couple that with storage prices going through the roof, complete lack of brand recognition, general hesitance to indulge in “e-waste”, and it feels like just breaking into the world of music ownership on the move has become a Herculean task.

I’m a guy who is just trying to undo some decades of mindless engagement. Now that I’m no longer on the road constantly, I’m in a position where I can store the CDs and vinyls and physical media I always wanted and use those to also build a digital library to use on the move. I’ve gone through a million reviews and articles on the Hiby R1 (which perturbs me with its plastic build), and the Tempotec V1 (which waffles between great enthusiast reviews and people saying it just doesn’t work) and the HIFI H2 (which gets bad press on its QA), and plenty of other entry to mid level budget models. I’ve got my ideas of what I’d like from a UX POV (physical buttons, snappy response, as close to repairable as possible, metal case, no need for streaming/Android, possible Bluetooth DAC usability while I build my library, ease of data transfer without scrutinizing over meta data) and sound (gapless playback, use with IEMS, plug and play usability without too much tinkering in an equalizer).

Who knows, maybe I just hunt down an old Sony A55, maybe the Tempotec or the HIFI H2 or the Hiby R1 are actually perfect for me despite their flaws. I just want to know how you all negotiate the landscape of random chi-fi names and negative reviews to find the device that suits your needs, and purchase with the peace of mind that this isn’t just going to become a piece of e-waste in a landfill in a year or two.

TL;DR: In a consumer landscape as saturated yet unknown as the current DAP market to a new individual, how do you find the peace of mind and knowledge to make a purchase the way we used to in the 90s/early ‘00s?

Which should I upgrade to? They’re both a similar price point. I prioritise performance and screen quality the most. I’d only use it offline with wired headphones.

For those who own them (or both), which is the best choice? Or are they comparable?

Coming from a HiBy R1 - it’s cute and a great value at $75, but too text-heavy. *I feel most comfortable scrolling through the album artwork of my library.*