Thanks, really appreciate this community.
I’m not sure how to deal with the shipping cost and customs cost back, but since the product was literally bricked when they sent it, they better cover all the costs back.
Also, I’m actually not sure I want to give it another go. QC issues seem rife with the Dethonray Honey H1. I knew this going in … Still, I didn’t think it would be this bad.
I’d rather get my money back (at least for now) and look at other options.
this bring me back to ViperAudio days via xda
How many of you people on this channel still use DAPs as their main devices? I’m looking for a DAP right now, but most of them are so slow. I mean the best I’m able to find in my budget has a Snapdragon 660 which is based on 14nm and has 4gb ram.
It’s enough for almost any music app. But I’m not sure if my primary streaming service which is Apple Music, will get crashes or not. On Snapdragon 845 with 4gb ram, I still experience crashes.
And the DAP name starts with written Fiio… doesn’t feels alright.
Is a DAP worth it in 2021? or a portable Amp/Dac is enough?
I only use IEMs 
I use dap as my main music source,but I’d say if you stream and you’re on a budget, a cellphone and a dongle is still king.
I love to have separated devices. But sometimes I just grab phone and dongle and go outside doing groceries or similar. My DAP handles streaming just fine, ofc.
One thing I love about my dap (Shanling M3X) is its battery life and warm signature. When I need a clinical one, I plug my dongle on it and use it as a source, while my dongle does the rest.
Which dongle do you use with your mobile device? And what’s your fav music app or streaming service?..
I use a very expensive one, but I would say to just use an Apple dongle if you’re on a strict budget and focus on more IEMs for now, unless you are using power hungry iems atm like planars or some tribids.
I run mostly local files (flac). In your case, I’d do flac on dap, use phone with dongle for streaming and finding new music.
I use tidal since its free with my phone subscription. I use it for on the go/dont care for finding/trying new music. Everything I love, I get it in flac form later 
at the desk: computer with desktop dac/amp
if I travel light, just a dongle like W2 or S1 with phone
When I know I will have enough time, I will take a DAP for my local files and/or streaming
I admit that the better the dongles become, the less I use my DAP.
Is it okay to use any IEM below 100$ with a DAP which costs above 500-600$ ?, 90% of reviewers on YouTube are like " it doesn’t makes any sense", same goes for headfi.
Only bggar in his best dap in the world video said “M11 pro, dx160 , pair it with a blon or ybf and you’ll be spending very less than others do, and still be getting a high quality playback” , on headfi it’s complete people.
Bggar seems legit :x
Well, that’s a Million dollar question. Which depends on your preferences only.
In MY opinion, I think you should prioritize IEMs over sources. Example: I’d take Mest Mk2 + dongle over DX300 + a 100-250$ set.
But that comes down to budgets. Also, when you’re new to the hobby, as you seem, I’d focus money on experiences to find preferences on sets. In the end everything matters, but you’ve to know your preferences and budget.
Also, after 100$USD, dimishing returns kick hard on sources. Let me know if you need more advice or we can talk in PM so we don’t spamm this thread as much.
HBB is legit. I vouche for him any day of the week. I have no business with him. My favourite set was a rec from him, so from that, I own him at least, my respect and a salute. Plus he created Mele and talks about music on his videos. People that have personal problems with him, it’s their thing. Strickly as a reviewer, I think he’s crystal clear, and I love that.
Exactly. I use DAP when I can and L&P W2 for the other stuff. I’ll be getting better desktop AMP and DAC but at the moment, it doesn’t make sense with my work, which is where I spend most of time listening.
Touché. My phone is great, but doesn’t come with SD slot. In the future, when I change phones, I’ll take it into consideration. Something with a huge battery life and SD slot + W2 is a win.
Similar to @nymz, M3x is my daily. Battery and slight warm is also key for my listening. I also have FIIO BTR5 on the side if I need just to grab and go. It’s a good alternative too. Aside from BTR5, there’s Qudelix 5k, Shanling UP5 and others too which can suit your budget. But downside using the Bluetooth dac amp above is their battery life and if you use LDAC codec from your phone, it’ll drain faster too.
I love the BTR5 and it’s been my main portable device since shortly after it came out, but I wanted a DAP to keep from draining my phones battery (when using LDAC exactly as You say), so I went with the Hiby R5s and got it pretty cheap at around $USD 340.
I wanted the extra “oomph” compared to the Shanling M3x, but of course now I’m unsure if I should have just gone with that instead (those were my two “contestants”)… 
I wanted “enough power” (to not have second thoughts), a “real” Android OS (I don’t care about the version not being latest on R5s) and MQA (R5s does 8x and the M3x does 16x) as I use Tidal mainly.
Anyway, I’m happy with the R5s but it’s not exactly fast (Snapdragon 425)…!
That said, does it really “need” to be?
I mean, I just start playing an album or a playlist and leave it in the pocket after that…
Enjoy this moment.
Hifiguides is unique in the hobby.
I remember when I started hyping things in a pathetic, but rational attempt to get attention
for an item on a Head-Fi thread that I thought was great.
It would go from top thread
to 2nd and 3rd page
in 24 hours and I would have to check in to bump it back to page #1
It takes much longer to flip from page 1 to 3 now. Sometimes 2 full days…or more.
The place is dying
The saturation of sponsors and clear hype folks
ignoring or shouting down non conformist has taken its toll.
This site is in an infant stage and is about to explode.
When the sponsors come,
so will their faithful tribes.
This site will have to organize and develop rules and try and not become what Headfi has become.
Enjoy this moment in this place.
It is like this because you are here at the right moment in time.
When the scales start to tip, (it has already begun), you will remember these days.
So enjoy it.
Love that gif.
Enjoy the music. Enjoy the freedom.
Right place right time.
Anyone who has ever fallen in love or into a great job knows what I mean.
And we enjoy having you here. Thanks for all the time and effort put into the hobby.
I just got my first piece of end-game, it’s one of your recs. Guess the short bus still lives
You once told me, and it still echoes into my mind:
Keeping it real always works in the end an talking about music…is highly underrated.
Just keep being real 
It is and they’ve tried…so far we’ve held sway, not sure for how long mind, so enjoy this honest and uncorrupted audio space while you can…Chris knows this 
My humble collection.
From left to right:
oBravo Cupid: 1DD - 1Planar (no X-over)
Audio Lokahi: 7BA
TRI i3: 1DD - 1Planar - 1BA
Urbanfun YBF-ISS014: 1DD
Acoustune HS1551CU: 1DD
Geek Wold GK10: 2DD - 1BA - 2Piezo
Tier ranking in terms of enjoyment:
S: Geek Wold GK10, Acoustune HS1551CU,
A: Audio Lokahi, oBravo Cupid,
B: Urbanfun YBF-ISS014, TRI i3
Resolving power:
S: Audio Lokahi
A: Geek Wold GK10
B: oBravo Cupid, Acoustune HS1551CU, Urbanfun YBF-ISS014, TRI i3
I currently own 2 sets of transducers (not counting the free pods/buds that come with various smart devices):
–Ety ER4XR – used solely with my Macbook Pro for large participant conference calls where I don’t need to speak; Youtube; some Netflix)
–Senn IE 900 – nostalgic feeling with these, from back in the day when single DD ruled. After 7+ years of pretty much only using hybrid IEMs, the utter sense of coherency when I first used these was almost revelatory. I mean…it was amazing.
Like all sets, not perfect, but for my preferences, these are long term keepers for me. I bought a custom cable from Plussound that I’ve had for a little over a month, and am contemplating a stupid $$ cable upgrade (but likely won’t as my compulsive purchasing in this hobby is not what it once was, plus I am leaving the door cracked open a tiny bit to the possibility of a $$$ purchase of the Empire Ears LX EVO…though that is unlikely at this point)
please keep the good job, and forget about schillers/hypers/motherfuckers… thanks to your recs I discovered my endgame (at least for now 
) 
We have various streaming platform available, where currently each also offer various ways that deliver the audio experience. Out of curiosity, what platform do you use and why? My enquire into this matter into this thread is mainly due to the library that most of us most likely to be similar in some way or another. I tried, Deezer, Spotify, and Tidal (big three that i’m able to access in Malaysia) when streaming and cant really discern the audio difference (apart from the price). What streaming that you use and why? Is the audio difference obvious? Is MQA any good (referring to Golden Audio youtube research into the matter)? Looking forward to a good discussion and enlightenment on the matter.
Thank you
…