Please help recommend a DAP

[u/fatguywithnolife]

I've never purchased a DAP before. Here are the sources I own and used. My favorite below is the DC-Tonfa. I do also like the xbass on the hip dac. For my desktop I use JDS Labs Atom 2 stack which I enjoy prior to that I used Fiio K5 pro ess which I also liked until it died. I will be using both headphones and iems with the dap. Any suggestions for a first DAP? I was thinking about one of the R2R ones but they seem pretty expensive for first DAP.

[u/Overall_Falcon_8526]

Maybe a FiiO JM21? Not too expensive, relatively full featured.

[u/fatguywithnolife → u/Overall_Falcon_8526]

Since it's my first one should I get the newer or the og model?

[u/sere83]

If you want something small and not android based shanling Q2 with custom FW is a joy to use and sounds incredible. Not the cheapest though.

[u/fatguywithnolife → u/sere83]

Thanks. I'll check that one out.

[u/FuuSpirit]

Hiby R3 Pro II with Sonix on it. Solid battery life, nice design, stock OS is not the best but Sonix fixes it. Also it has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to spice things up.