Anybody Using a Portable Audio Player (DAP) As a Streamer?


Hi! I just ordered a Hiby R6 Pro II DAP which has a digital output. I plan to use it on the go (as it is intended), but also at home as my streamer, by using its USB port to connect to my Denafrips Ares II DAC (bypass the internal DAC), and hoping to use the Hiby Cast app to control the DAP from my listening position. I plan to listen to DSD files loaded to a micro SD card on the DAP as well as streaming Apple Lossless by installing the native Apple Music app onto the DAP.

Is anyone else using such a setup instead of buying a standard desktop streamer (such as a Fiio R7/R9 or Eversolo DMP-A6/8)? If so, how's it working out for you? I see Hiby even makes a special dock for their DAPs to facilitate such a usage (the Hiby CR06 dock, which isn't cheap). Does it output bitperfect high-resolution audio to your external DAC without issues?

-Ed

eddnog

Hiby Cast didn’t work for me when I tried it but maybe I didn’t spend enough time with it.

Luck to ya to make it work. Not supported like streamer OS software.

I've been playing with an iBasso DX220 MAX in that capacity. The "problem" is its balanced line-out sounds so good, there may be no rational use of its digital (coax) out. Fed right from line-out into a very nice VAC Master preamp and Statement 450S amp - it absolutely trashes the NAD M12 (streamer/DAC) and Node 2i streamer I have around here. Pretty sure I like its sound better than the two Schiit Yggdrasils I had in past. Might be comparable or better to my Phison DAC (haven't directly compared those yet). But the poor M12 - my god, it sounds completely broken next to the iBasso. Really enjoyable sound, even with a high end analog rig in here. 

No issues with high-res when you use line out!

@fuzztone Which version of HiBy Cast were you trying to use that failed, the Android version, or the iOS/iPadOS version? I have a Lenovo android-based tablet as well as iPhone and iPad at my disposal, so fingers crossed that SOMETHING works out! 😂

@mulveling I am hoping to get just as lucky, so I can sell my Denafrips Ares II to my dad (at an extremely substantial discount, don’t worry—I’m not that kind of son!), who is currently using a, “mere,” SMSL DO100 in his chain.

-Ed

 

I have a A&K S3000 DAP. This was the flagship of arguably one of two two best DAP companies. I think the cost was around $3K. It does not remotely compete with the lowest level last generation Aurender and probably many lessor streamers.

How well it will work in your system will depend what you are comparing it to. But in general, I would expect a pretty big compromise in sound quality.