[LesterSleepsIn]

Hope this is the appropriate circle ...

While I was sleeping, it seems DAPs evolved an added improved onboard DAC chips. Anyone have a DAP with the newer DAC chips with the digital filter settings?  Compared to older DAPs, is the sound improved?

The player I’m looking at now is the Fiio X7ii:
“New with this DAC chip – and we’ve seen this in other DAPs already – are the digital filter quick settings which allow you to tune the sound to your preference. You have six different options: Fast Roll Off Linear Phase, Slow Roll Off Linear Phase, Apodizing Fast Roll Off, Fast Roll Off Minimum, Phase, Slow Roll Off Minimum Phase and Brickwall. My personal favorite is the first one but it depends on your hearing and the headphone used in what degree you will hear the impact of the filters on the sound.
In general the Fiio X7ii is easy to use and the user interface is easy and fast (beside the track switch issue described above) and there really isn’t anything to complain about. At the same time, when you’re used to the performance and speed of the AK SP1000 in example, then the Fiio X7ii and all of its rivals at that level still are relatively slow.”

https://www.headfonia.com/fiio-x7ii-award-material/2/


Thanks for any advice,
Lester

[JohnR]

All DAPs have a DAC chip surely, to convert the digital data to an analog signal. Otherwise, they would be digital output only, which doesn't really make sense for a portable device.

[LesterSleepsIn]

Right you are John. The question should have been about the digital filter settings on the newer DAPs and not about DAC chips.

[JohnR]

Oh. I suspect that's exposing new functions in the DAC chip to the user. I have an AKM-based DAC that does it and did have a Sabre DAC that does it. Personally I've generally found the changes fairly small...? Compared to differences between DACs themselves. Upsampling in the source (if you can) is probably as much if not more of a difference. Just my 2c

[JohnR]

Upsampling in the source (if you can) is probably as much if not more of a difference.

And that makes no sense in this context, since the DAP is the source.

In the end, some people might find this a live or die feature but personally I would put it a way down the list.

[LesterSleepsIn]

Thanks John, got it. You can probably tell I’m a DAP newbie, been avoiding them for years. The last PMP I owned was something called a “Walkman” and played something called “cassette tapes” - you may have heard of them. They were keen and boffo. Today I still rely on cds and lps for my music enjoyment.  Haven’t used headphones in donkey years. Now that players continue to evolve to handle the higher resolution files I’m interested in them again. Will probably get the Fiio X7ii.

Cheers,
Lester

[randytsuch]

I somewhat recently picked up a couple DAPs, a iBasso dx50 and a Fiio X5iii

The X5iii is the little brother to the X7ii.  Both are android based DAPs.

Android has advantages and disadvantages over a DAP like the dx50, which runs DAP software and nothing else.

Androids are more flexible.  For instance, the x5 has wifi, and I can listen to tidal on it, or connect to a NAS and listen to any music on the NAS.
You can also run different playback software, I use and like Neutron.  It does cost a few bucks, but not much and worth it, imho.

The x5 is a little more complicated to use, because of the android aspect.  Few more buttons to push, versus the dx50.
Kind of a standard tradeoff, adding more features adds complexity.

Just something to think about, based on my limited experience.
BTW, both dap's have filter options, and can do hi res.  But the dx50 is not comparable to the x5, would need to move up the ibasso line for that.

Also, for a dap to make sense, you need to have your music ripped to flac (or similar) files.   You have to put the music on a micro sd card, then the DAP plays music from that.

Randy