I prefer smaller more portable DAPs with good battery life and responsive, snappy software/UI, etc. DAPs like the Sony A306 (Japanese Uncapped) & Hiby M300 sound fantastic. The larger, more powerful and significantly more expensive DAPs I don't think are worth it and they do not sound much different or better. Main sound differences (possibly placebo) are slight variation in scale/size of sound stage, slight difference in layering/separation & a more firm/dense/weighty/solid bass, general sound due to more driving power/volume/amplification. My usage and comparisons, experiences/opinions are with IEMs that are quite easy to drive.

My frame of reference. Equipment that I have tried/owned.

DAPs:
Hiby R6 £1400
Sony NW-WM1AM2 (Uncapped) £1300 (noise floor)
Fiio M23 £649
Hiby R6 Pro 2 £600
Hiby R5 Gen 2 £450
iBasso DX180 (3gb version) £440
Sony A306 £329 (noise floor)
Sony A55 £200 (noise floor)
Hiby M300 £200
LG-V60 £200
Hiby R3 Gen 2 £179 (noise floor)

IEMs:
Thieaudio Prestige Ltd £1149
Campfire Audio Dorado £1099
Elise Audio X Helios Symphonium SE £1099
Thieaudio Monarch Mk III £899
Thieaudio Monarch Mk II £800
Sennheiser IE600 £600
Thieaudio Hype 4 £350
Fiio FD5 £295
Ziigaat Cincotres £255
Ziigaat Doscinco £255
Penon Serial £247
Fiio FH3 £99-120
Fiio JD7 £89
KZ ZS10 Pro £45

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