Maybe I’m not the right person to be speaking about this because I’m so new to this world of DAPs. But to me and the limit amount of knowledge I have gathered in my experience and the experience of other reviewers, the DAP world, unlike the world of IEM and Headphones, isn’t a vast one, at least not right now. There is only a few well respected brands out there with only a handful of different models who are considered the best in the world. You have Cayin, Fiio, Hiby, Astell&Kern, Shanlings, and Ibasso as the foundational building for DAPS that are the ones highly spoken about in the Audiophile world the most. Yes, there will still be Walkmen, aka Sony and others that are half whispered but the for the most part the Big Six are who they are.
For me though, as great of looking the Cayin is, as robust as the Fiio is, and as elegant as Astell&Kern is, Ibasso for me represents the best in all price categories. The Dx180 has no equal to its sound and features at $599 mark. The dx260mk2 at $1100 presents a better overall sound of the dx180 and makes itself the best at a $1000. And then finally the beast of the Dx340 is said to be the beast amongst both the 180 and 260 at $2000. Each time these are reviewed they are reviewed to the conclusion that most reviewers agree that they have no equal to them at each price bracket.
Each of the models, while having similar DNA build looks about them, are still steps of power that make an already baseline DNA and sound well over most others, they just keep a good balance of difference to stop any one model from stepping over the others fully but at the same time makes enough difference to clarify them as better the more you spend money. Even if the so called “better” status doesn’t apply but up to 15% better, by a little or by more…each models gets better nonetheless. Your only dilemma is picking which one and if the pick is worth the money vs the other two options.
The Ibasso DAP lineup released all stand outs from the least to the greatest. Either of them would represent greatness to whoever decides which money bracket they wanted invest in. Each defeating all other brands models equal to or less than their price for each bracket as well as give you something no other DAP gives, access to the battery to ensure your investment isnt wasted years later when the battery becomes less efficient.
I get it, I truly do. But rest assured, DAPs choices aren’t like IEMs. You truly do have a go-to brand that stand above others from $599-$2000 and that brand is Ibasso. Now I’m not saying you can’t go with a price in between like a $799 and it not be better than the $599 dx180 ibasso. Or a $3599 Astell&Kern that isn’t better than the $2000 dx340. Sure there are better higher cost products, but other $2000 products or below won’t beat the dx340. The $1100 ibasso dx260mk2 isn’t beat by anything $1100 or below and the $599 dx180 wont be beat by anything $599 or below. Each of these products would take a more expensive product to beat them in their dominate bracket is what I’m saying.
At the end of the day, your DAP is your personal choice just like everything in tech and especially in sound. It’s always subjective to you. My likes aren’t yours and yours aren’t mine, and that’s ok. The sooner we learn that fact, the better off we will be at being human beings towards one another on forms and sites.
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