When i had it i didn't have any problems with the firmware.

Hey guys, looking for a music player below rm500
whats good?

Stay away from Nova N1, a failed product.
C3 and Sansa are good products, but with some flaws. C3 has better build quality and a brighter sound signature but poor UI and controls. Not much dynamics in the sound too. Sansa build quality is not as good but with better UI and SQ just below C3.
If you want a better all rounder product, try looking for a second hand X3 or DX50.

omg... I found AK120 for 32000 TWD... .__.
Should I just go for AK120 ? rather than getting AK100 and Pandora?

Current setup
PC->UD110->Shonyun 306a->Stock Cabler HD600

Looking for either X5 or the DX90
Mostly 16bit 44.1 flacs

I got an ipad mini as well, if there is a cheaper portable amp that is comparable to those two let me know

Guys any good portable budget amp-dap combos? Only one I know would be Colorfly C3 with the C&C BH. Any others within that price range? Currently using a sansa clip, will be using it for CIEM in the future. Also anyone here has a C3 I could try?

yeah but a lot of people have very good experience with it double amping with the C&C BH, a lot of them prefer it over the fiio x3. I don't want to use my handphone for battery reasons, I use my phone a lot so prefer something else to play my music.

I'll probably try the Fiio x3, but are there other options?

sudden sad moment that no one helped me when I asked bout Cube C30 replacement but yea

Sansa Clip is the way to go for budget player as it is stable as well as very responsive playback

and like ben3003 said the Cube C30 is harsh sounding
you'll experience better comfort by listening through Sansa Clip
I can't hear any difference with sansa clip vs HTC Rhyme (My current smartphone) so I'm a little hesitant on getting it yet still

hi, my budget is around rm300
it seem most people recommended sansa clip plus.
is there any other better option available or sansa clip plus is good enough within my budget?

Hi guys,

Recently started to appreciate better quality audio, and would like some advise and guidance as I am pretty fresh in this scene.

Currently I only have a Shure se215 and Goldring dr150, and listen to music from my phone/iPad. I am considering to get a dap. Which route would be the better one for the following?

1) Fiio x1 plus DAC
2) iBasso dx90

Generally my idea is since I'm a beginner, should I start slow with lower budget, or go straight to something better than beginner gear and thus able to forget about upgrading till the device breaks. I mostly listen to pop, rock, rap, electric and metal.

Any ideas or advice will be much appreciated! 

Hey guys, thanks for the replies!
One of my concerns is also that the DX90 would be too good for the earphones that i have now and I would be essentially wasting it..
I'm not in a big hurry to get a dap. So yes thanks for suggesting this, i would wait and try both then decide!
What you say actually does make sense. Is the X1 considered a step up from a smartphone though?
Thanks for letting me know! I was confused with the picture of FiiO X1 DAP + E11K amplifier and thought the E11K a DAC.

So thank you everyone. Sounds like either the Fiio X1 and the iBasso dx90 both have their pros. I will find a day to try them both (and maybe even the Fiio x5ii) before finally making a decision.

I'm in a position to consider a purchase of a new DAP as well. Here are my criterias:

1. Digital transport only. Never felt that I can get enough power and drive from a DAP alone. If it was a light travel day I'd be with my WS99BT or B&W P5 Wireless and AptX it with my S6 Edge.

2. Large enough storage. Herein lies the dilemma. DAPs with dual storage slots like X5ii aren't Tidal-friendly (which will be my 3rd criteria later). Although storage problem will be solvable with swapping microSDXC cards (when are the 200GB microSDXC getting here la?), that is not really ideal.

3. Tidal-friendly. That covers Qobuz too if or should I decide to splurge on that. Therefore the DAP must be able to install the Tidal app. Hence either iOS or Android only. Unless you go desktop route, which what I am doing with my 2015 MacBook and Chord Hugo.

4.. Minimum 24bit/384khz, DSD for future-proofing(somewhat). I could live with 24bit/192khz, since that's where highest quality of the content I listen to is at. Therefore requires data stream to the DAC after playback decode on the DAP to the DAC at those quality rates, via whatever connection that it has (coaxial, SPDIF or USB).

With these criterias, the DAP only works as digital transport, therefore the bigger storage size it is, the better. And please no clunky UI bullshit like in the Lotoo PAW or its equivalent, no matter how godly the DAP's sound processing or amplification circuitry is, it's useless since the DAP will be digital transport only. The DAP fucntion is to display the UI smooth enough, and to process, decode and play the files of the quality mentioned above, pass those signal to the DAC (Chord Hugo) via SPDIF, coaxial or USB.

With all those said, I believe my option has been reduced to either Android smartphones with USB OTG function, iOS device with Onkyo HF player (can decode and play up to DSD via PCM conversion), or hybrid DAPs with Android functionality(to be able to install Tidal, Spotify, Qobuz app) such as the Sony ZX1 or ZX2. Am I correct to assume this?

I'm sure if I eliminated the need to Tidal, my options are wider open than it is now, but I use Tidal (and to a certain smaller extent, Apple Music) to discover new music and new artists. Don't get me wrong, there are artists who are my staple diet in music, I cant live without Charles Mingus, Ella Fitzgerald and Diana Krall, but I like the new upcoming ones like Ed Sheeran and Charlie Puth as well, and would not have discovered them without Tidal or Apple Music.

So, are my choices limited to Sony ZX1/ZX2, iOS devices (iPhones, iPads, iPod Touch) and <insert whatever Android smartphones here>? I've just tested my S6 Edge--> Chord Hugo, works fine but damn crackly and noisy unless I turn on airplane mode. No such crackle and fuzz with my iPhone 6 Plus. And then there is the problem of storage. Which I foresee will never be enough with the burgeoning filesize of HiRes content. Hence why I see Tidal being the solution.

A total disbeliever of DAP here. I want to know if it's worth it to get a DAP. I currently plays all my music on my OnePlus One, which have a good enough DAC for all my needs. My only concern is the amp. Which made me come to this thread, to ask if I really should get a DAP or not.

If yes, any recommendations? My budget would be just below RM2k. Because everything above it must be overkill. It should be. Anything that is suitable for IEM, especially for a really sensitive one like the SE846 (which is my main driver) but is also powerful enough to drive the 300ohm HD650.

What I have in mind are the Cayin N5, FiiO X5 (1st gen, 2nd gen doesn't seem to worth the price because of those little upgrades) and the AK Jr. But I'm also pretty hyped for those new Onkyo/Pioneer and iBasso DX80 DAPs too.

I'm torn between of just getting an external amp for my OPO or spend some extra cash for a DAP.

Oic. I thought the dap only transfer the data and let the dac process it and amp amplify the sounds to earphone/ headphone?

Anyone test it can share your experience or explain in detail?

Thanks in advance

haha, try comparing by stacking with AK100II (optical cable) and smartphone (microusb)

see which one has noises and sounds better

I guess low end or jk junior level does not come with optical input

I always bring both: my AK100II on my hand, my Note 5 in my pocket, since my hand palm is big, I can use my Note 5 with 1 hand.

Sound quality wise, it is always a debate between smartphone and DAP, like my case, AK100II vs Note 5, definitely AK100II wins but not edges Note 5 too much, only in tiny details and dynamics.

If choosing smartphone as music player, users should opt for large storage capacity or with support of microSD, inaudible noise when paired with low impedance IEM, better stereo crosstalk (you can check in review of the smartphone). dynamic range etc

Well if there is your choice, please buy the Cowon dock for Plenue S too

my next upgrade is slightly of different than others ---> Sony PCM-D100

Lol like that my best choice for only iPod touch 6gen 128gb play with apple lossless file

But at least no issue for iOS update n wifi connection..

Guys, i'm thinking to get Fiio X3 Gen II and pair with ATH-M50X. It's should good pair? Or need to get IEM?

Looks like the sony a series supported format is less than fiio x1 2nd gen,is this true?

between sandisk sansa jam and fiio m3, which one is recommended?

Seems like Fiio m3 offer a lot of great features as a portable player. Anyway I have not personally review any of these products.