7 reasons you need a dedicated audio player in 2019 | DAP 101- Part 2

With the rise in popularity of smartphones, sales of dedicated DAPs have inevitably fallen. However, recently though there have been some interesting developments-shanling M2x - in the world of DAPs that mean that you might want to give them a look once again if you're looking to make the most of your portable listening.

Here are seven reasons why you may want that second device back in your pocket...

They'll support your high-end headphones.

This is perhaps the most popular use of a DAP. Today, all high-end portable music players now include balanced headphone outputs. And some of them go one step further by including both the 2.5mm and 4.4mm balanced outputs, as well as retaining the 3.5mm single-ended output. No need for cumbersome adapters with the DAP– simply just plug in your headphones to the right output jack! 

Pushing the boundaries of wireless Hi-Fi

With its support of Bluetooth, the DAP can transmit the SBC/aptX/aptX HD/LDAC/LHDC etc Bluetooth format as well as receive certain formats. The DAP's high-performance Bluetooth radio ensures you can transmit signals further with stronger overall signal strength, so nothing can get in your way of enjoying quality wireless music.

Hi-res BlueTooth amplifier

When set to be in the Bluetooth receiver mode, the DAP transforms into a high-quality Bluetooth amplifier, with significantly better frequency response, as well as lower distortion, noise floor, and crosstalk compared to typical Bluetooth solutions. On top of that, the M11 can also output any received Bluetooth signals through the coaxial out to an external decoder. With the portable Bluetooth DAP, you can enjoy truly divine sound over the wireless convenience of Bluetooth. 

Copious amounts of RAM and storage

Uncompressed audio takes up a lot of space, and hi-res audio takes up more space still. If you've got a phone that's filled with the latest apps, games, and all those slow-motion videos that you've been meaning to back up and delete then it can be hard to find some space for your music collection. A dedicated portable DAP has storage that's reserved for the music alone, and as such, you can wave goodbye to having to micro-manage your folders to make room for your newest 24-bit or more find.

It's not going to drain your phone's battery

On long flights and plane journeys, some people cannot live without music. But if we are on a long journey then there's a high chance that we are going to need to use our phone at the other end, be it to phone the person we are meeting or else find our way using Google Maps or CityMapper. This can often leave us conflicted. We want to listen to music, but we need to keep an eye on our phone's battery lest it dies before we reach the destination.

Multifunction coaxial output jack

Usually, the latest DAPs can support outputting a wide variety of formats through its USB connector, including DSD128, DoP/D2P, and native DSD modes. Simply connect the DAP to an external decoder, and you have a portable jukebox capable of delivering excellent sound wherever you go. Through the multifunction coaxial output jack, you can connect to a diverse range of external speakers, amplifiers, and decoders.

Simply transfer music directly through Wi-Fi

With the DAP's dual-band Wi-Fi radio, you can expect better signal strength as well as faster and more stable connections – especially when using Wi-Fi on the 5GHz band to avoid interference 2.4GHz Bluetooth.

It'll have dedicated music controls

Most phones nowadays are stripping away as many of their buttons as possible in an attempt to be as sleekly designed as possible, but physical buttons are very handy when you're listening to music on the go. Whether it's skipping tracks or just pausing them quickly to ask someone a question, dedicated buttons -like those found, again, on Shanling M2x - can be very helpful.

Yes, these are becoming more common with the proliferation of headphone in-line remotes, but if you don't want to upgrade your existing pair of headphones then you need some buttons on the device to make your life easier.

Conclusion

Though it's unlikely that we'll ever see a return to the days of the original iPod where everyone carried their trusty MP3 player with them at all times, Portable music players or Digital Audio Players (DAP) are still popular nowadays. Music lovers and audiophiles are in demand of DAPs than can drive their HiFi and Hi-Res headphones and IEMs to enjoy music wherever they go. If you are in the market looking for the best portable music players currently available, then you are in luck because there are lots to choose from.

10 Best Portable Digital Audio Players under $1000 for Audiophile | Hifigo