Hey guys,
Wondering if anyone out there has had the opportunity to go hands on to get a sense of comparison between these two DAPs. Both of them seem to go for right around the same price on the used/open box market so it just becomes a matter of which one has the better sound, ability to drive power hungry headphones, feel in the hand and “feel” in a pants pocket.
Any thoughts?
Well I bought an open boxed Alpha from ebay. There was so little out there comparing these two that I had to use google translate to help me understand a video in Thai.
I eventually decided on the alpha because it was winning the price war, there was a used unit at a slight discount, and ultimately it seemed like both a sturdier and a cooler design. I decided I didn’t want a player that looks like a phone.
Now I may come to regret this because it’s thiccccccc!!!
So we’ll see how this feels in a pocket potential sharing space with a phone. I think the M15 may have been potentially better for that but I was worried to hear so many people talk about it getting very hot.
Congrats, and hope it works well for you. I’ve heard generally good things about the Kann series.
Thanks man, I’ll post some impressions of it when it’s all said and done.
I look forward to your impressions as this is one of the daps on my radar
Any impressions so far?
I would like to hear about the Kann as well. I am set with daps but it would be interesting to know if the m15 is as “flat” as the m11 i had.
Sorry for late responses to everyone.
Tldr: I’ll be selling it. It’s just too damn cumbersome. The diminishing returns aren’t anywhere near close the cost of what it’s like to carry this thing around.
M15 seems much better designed for what these are made to do, and I’m sure it must sound just as good and if there’s the teeeniest little improvement in getting the alpha it’s just not worth the trade off
I finally got them both. Selling the Kann Alpha.
Every pro goes to the Fiio except for two.
The Kann doesn’t get hot like the Fiio.
The Kann has a very analytical sound which is better for some things like Pink Floyd for example.
Fiio wins for interface, shape and size, and liveliness of sound. The volume knob is a little scary.