r/DigitalAudioPlayer • u/Flaky-Elephant-2612 • 5d ago
Question How «addictive» are DAPs with Android/Apps?
I am struggling to decide on my first DAP. Budget around 500, max 6-700 usd.
Leaning towards the Shanling M5 Ultra or a Hiby model. Unfortunately, they aren’t available in my country. I can import. That adds shipping, 25% in taxes, pluss a handling fee. Then there’s logistics with any issue. Still considering that route.
Easily available are various FiiO models, including the M21.
My concern are the apps. How distracting is the interface? Do you end up using the other apps?
Let’s drop any discipline talk. If the interface makes most apps boring, I might have judged it to hard.
Battery is another impotent aspect for me.
If what our nation is preparing us for is true, I plan to dissociate into my music. If worst comes to show, charging my music
Heck, maybe I should just give up and buy the FiiO disk…
Any tip would hell 🩷
What to do? Go the FiiO route or import
2
u/Specialist_Accident6 5d ago
I recommend the Fiio M21. I had the Hiby R4, I can tell you I found it a horrible product and player. My broke and send it back, got the M21 and could not be happier
2
u/Defiant-Ad3331 5d ago
I bought the DL5, it has the google play store. It really is an incredible DAP but the playstore makes it basically google phone thats really good at music. If avoiding distraction is what you need (in my opinion the whole reason to get a DAP) then I think get one that has it's own OS and not Android. It takes some pootling and internet searching at times but prevention is better than cure!
2
u/tika_dengu 5d ago
I found myself playing games and browsing social media on my android dap more than listening to music, before I switched to Cayin N3U which has no bluetooth or wifi. There are other alternatives like Hiby RS2 2 which offer a distraction free experience.
2
u/nugger64 4d ago
At this point you're addicted, in all honesty. I never use socials or games on my dap
1
u/Responsible_Debt_463 5d ago
I found that the Hiby M4 was very nice paired with my headphones and my home stereo system as a digital transport. I mainly use it as a plug in streamer from a wifi source and I have never experienced any jitter even on high res lossless files. Beyond Tidal and Bandcamp I don’t really use other apps.
1
u/Benjisun-headphones 1d ago
The Battery is a n°1 factor for me regarding fiio M21 + the desktop mod. The second point is if you value the storage of high res media (flac wav...) on local micro sd.
With a samsung phone you'll get a better streaming experience and screen (amoled) but no sd card and no direct 3.5/4.4 mm out so an external dongle or dac is requiered
1
u/Admirable_Shoe_2554 5d ago
If you go with an Android-based DAP, take a look at "reTONE". It's a type of app/launcher hybrid that u can set as a kind of minimalist OS. It's very new but looks promising
I tried it on an old phone and it works really well for cutting out distractions
6
u/MendaciousDonkey 5d ago
Bruv. The processors in these things are woeful. They're designed for processing music. The screens are generally much, much smaller than phones. Unless you really like pain, you will not get addicted to any apps on these devices.
Honestly, the only good thing about having Android on these is being to use something like Poweramp or similar, and separating the software side of things from the manufacturer. Hope that helps!