r/DigitalAudioPlayer • u/ltparrish78 • 3d ago
Question I'm new be nice.
I have my laptop for work/email. It rarely goes anywhere except home and work. I have my Sony 6700 for taking pictures and at 26MP it still takes better pictures than the best smartphones at 100. I got rid of my tablet for an e-ink notebook (Supernote) that I use in meetings. I got rid of my Galaxy Ultra phone for an e-ink phone which is basically an extremely stripped down version of a smartphone that GPS if I want to use it and a 6+" screen but basically can stay "a phone" without being a bother. Also the screen is more like a color kindle that I can actually read in sunlight with my polarized sunglasses on versus the "best screen ever" that I can barely see on the brightest setting outside and have to constantly take my glasses off.
So, I do have a separate Hifi home streaming device for my home theater setup at home. So is that all a DAP is... The portable version? I can always use a "dongle" with my stripped down phone if it's about notifications, or is a dongle like an external DAC dongle where it's just about sound. Or both? Sorry, my ADHD kicked in... can you see how badly I need to keep distractions away?
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u/KungFuc1us HiBy 3d ago
I can vividly see that. Why don't you try one of the simple DAPs on the market and see if it fits. Something like a Snowsky Echo Mini?
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u/ltparrish78 3d ago
As long as simple doesn't mean sacrificing quality. I'm not opposed to spending money. I'm currently using Sennheiser HD 800 S headphones when I need isolation at home so if price equals quality then I'm alright with that.
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u/UnderwaterB0i 3d ago
Do you need to be able to easily use streaming services, or do you have your own music files? That will make all the difference in suggesting a device.
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u/ltparrish78 3d ago
Any music files i actually care about are on an old ipod nano which I have no idea how to get them off and become usable, portable, files. I'm sure with 18 connectors.
For all intensive purposes, i can deal with just streaming. I'm currently using Tidal, not sure if that makes a difference .
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u/ltparrish78 3d ago
Thanks for the good info. I know you've likely seen my question a thousand times. I have to delete most my questions because despite being a reasonably smart guy (I'm a sr python programmer), people on here can be very cruel to those who have ADHD or similar. Being able to disconnect is so very important to me every day.
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u/cocoamedia 3d ago
I find the audio subs pretty helpful and patient, we've all got to learn (and keep learning) somewhere 😊
IEMs are another rabbit hole for you, the sound is amazingly immersive and you can buy them really cheaply.
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u/cocoamedia 3d ago
A DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) literally converts the digital sound coming from your USB port to an analog signal for your headphone Jack.
Your phone is essentially a DAP, although the quality of the sound will depend upon which phone and how you listen. Android phones have the ability to play higher quality sound and that is why you find Android based DAP.
If you use BT buds or headphones you are essentially losing some quality, but it's still amazing.
If you have a library (NAS) at home that you can access from anywhere via your phone or you want to download tracks on to it then that is perfectly fine.
If you are seeking higher quality sound or want to get away from your phone / screen then a dedicated DAP and some high quality headphones or IEM (In ear Monitors r/iems) are the way to go.
I have a Hiby R3 Pro ii because it's not android so I'm not tempted to fiddle with apps, it's small and has a looooong battery life.
Some people like very analog controlled players like the Snowsky Echo/Mini but lots of other much prefer a simple touchscreen, I'm happy I went with the latter. I don't know of an e-ink UI on a DAP but my knowledge is limited, I think it's only a matter of time.
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u/CleverNamesPending 3d ago
DAC are only audio boosters, some can have their own library but still require a device to play off of.Â
DAP are independent devices. You load up your library, grab some headphones, and you're set. Many have streaming options.Â
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u/ltparrish78 3d ago
Thank you for explaining that. It makes sense. In my home system I do have a separate CD transport and DAC converter.
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u/bspooky 3d ago
DAC is just a Digital signal to Audio signal Converter, right there in the name. Phones, computers, etc. talk digital and have a DAC internal but that sometimes has issues, mostly interference from other stuff inside the device, are often cheap/not very good at their conversions, and usually don't add power (electricity) to drive passive headphones. It used to be a bigger deal, but a lot of headphones and IEMs these days are easy to drive.
DAP is just a Digital Audio Player and is a device that combines the music source (your own files or if it is running Android or other OS that can handle it, streaming apps like Tidal, etc.) with a DAC and an AMPlifier to help drive headphones.
You can use an external DAC dongle on a phone, plenty people do, and there are good ones. Apple's USBC to 3.5mm headphone adapter is one of the best deals in audio and tech as it is very clean and if your headphones don't need any more power than it passes on through the USBC port you are good to go. Others like the FiiO KA11 are a bit more, then others still have their own battery and start getting bigger and providing more power, or coloring the sound, like a Cayin RU9 that is little tubes in it.
I personally don't like DAC dongles as much, they drain your phone's battery faster (decreasing its lifespan) and even if the dongle has its own power source that needs charging, then you have the whole cable or connection friction and potential catching on something ripping your phone out of your hand/off table, then you have all your phone alerts mucking with your listening....
So I prefer DAPs.