[Bosk]

I'm confused why you say SP3000 is up to flagship DAP standard if it doesn't have a great amp ?

The SP3000 has a tremendous DAC stage with one of the blackest backgrounds of any portable player. However it feels let down by its' amp stage. So it tends to sound fantastic with IEMs that are very easy to drive but can struggle with those requiring higher quality amplification.

I would personally choose say the Shanling M9+ over the SP3000, which is not only cheaper & lighter but to my ears a better all-round Android player. Of course it often comes down to the synergy between a particular DAP/IEM combination.

 

[nocturne19]

You must try FiiO M15S. It sounds better than SP3000 according to one head fi member.


Dynamics is a complete bloodbath, M15S vs SP3000 is like HDR on an OLED vs an LCD. Powerful vocals and instruments like trumpets come through strong, bold and crisp while they are soft, polite and subdued on the SP3000.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sea...omparisons-latest-sp3000.972542/post-18088841

I'm gonna be subjective here. While M15s is one of the best FiiO players I have heard, I find it to be a decent mid-fi option instead of a flagship killer, if that even exists. It has great power, great tuning, but not reaching the level of TOTLS, which should sound more technical, delicate and smooth. I do agree though, that FiiO products generally have better amplification than AK products (which tend to sound soft). As @Bosk mentioned, SP3000 has a tremendous DAC stage with one of the blackest backgrounds, which I believe is the DAP's edge. Does it hold up to its price? I guess it depends on the buyer then. But to be honest, you're not thinking much about price-to-performance ratio at the TOTL level.

 

[littlexx26]

The SP3000 has a tremendous DAC stage with one of the blackest backgrounds of any portable player. However it feels let down by its' amp stage. So it tends to sound fantastic with IEMs that are very easy to drive but can struggle with those requiring higher quality amplification.

I would personally choose say the Shanling M9+ over the SP3000, which is not only cheaper & lighter but to my ears a better all-round Android player. Of course it often comes down to the synergy between a particular DAP/IEM combination.

so e7 dac stage better or sp3000 dac stage better?

 

[nocturne19]

so e7 dac stage better or sp3000 dac stage better?

I personally find sp3000 to have the edge, sounding more delicate and grand. Though E7 has really pushed 4497 to its limits, and sound-wise I believe E7 is among the top D-S players.

 

[Kiats]

I personally find sp3000 to have the edge, sounding more delicate and grand. Though E7 has really pushed 4497 to its limits, and sound-wise I believe E7 is among the top D-S players.

Agree that it s a personal perspective and perception. I sold off my SP3000, as well as the rest of the AK DAPs I had because I found that it just did not do anything for me in the context of modern DAPs. For context, I have had all the AK flagships since the AK100.

 

[Kiats]

You must try FiiO M15S. It sounds better than SP3000 according to one head fi member.


Dynamics is a complete bloodbath, M15S vs SP3000 is like HDR on an OLED vs an LCD. Powerful vocals and instruments like trumpets come through strong, bold and crisp while they are soft, polite and subdued on the SP3000.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sea...omparisons-latest-sp3000.972542/post-18088841

Well, it sounds like you have not heard it yourself... and that could be the invested views of an owner. Whilst FiiO players are affordable and are powerful, they do tend to be more mid-fi. I have owned the M15 as well as the M11S in the recent past. Whilst they had their strengths, being TOTL was not one of them.

 

[RAA93]

a better portable Delta Sigma DAP than the E7

Maybe Cayin N8 Brass. I haven't listened to it for a long time, but from memory it has a deeper and is not in your face stage, better layering, more presence effect.

 

[Kiats]

Maybe Cayin N8 Brass. I haven't listened to it for a long time, but from memory it has a deeper and is not in your face stage, better layering, more presence effect.

I had the N8 too. It was good during its time. It had a very dense sound for sure. But probably not as versatile as the E7 with its 3 tuning options.

 

[RAA93]

I had the N8 too. It was good during its time. It had a very dense sound for sure. But probably not as versatile as the E7 with its 3 tuning options.

Probably.

But I, for example, like only the LD mode.
I have never heard such a lively and at the same time detailed sound on any DAP.
(except N30LE, I haven't listened to it).

But I like the sound stage better when it's a little in front of me/far away like in the LPGT, N8.

And the other E7 modes, as for me, don't make sense if you have a P6Pro or LP6/TI.

 

[denis1976]

The SP3000 has a tremendous DAC stage with one of the blackest backgrounds of any portable player. However it feels let down by its' amp stage. So it tends to sound fantastic with IEMs that are very easy to drive but can struggle with those requiring higher quality amplification.

I would personally choose say the Shanling M9+ over the SP3000, which is not only cheaper & lighter but to my ears a better all-round Android player. Of course it often comes down to the synergy between a particular DAP/IEM combination.

That s why when you listen to your "easy" to drive iems with your sp3000 the sound is awsome the background is pitch black the soundstage and detail retrieval is great , is because the amp part of the sp3000 is very inferior to the dac part....What....really....you guys read the things you writing? I have 2 hard to drive iems the Snavar and the ierz1r and 1 easy to drive the penon 10th the sp3000 is awsome with all of them, if we are discussing tuning options that with some iems and headphones may not work , ok , but nothing have to do with power and amp quality, most of iems only handle 10/20 mw of power, hard to drive headphones? Tell me one dap that dont benefits of an quality external amp for that...please tell me...back to the forum....the E7 must be really awsome has all L&P devices