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Topic: Digital audio players (DAP) that support Opus format? (Read 5280 times) previous topic - next topic
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Digital audio players (DAP) that support Opus format?

I want to put audiobooks and music on a DAP to listen to when I go for long walks or hiking/camping. I would like to use Opus files due to the high ratio of quality to file-size.

Are there any DAP's below $100 that support Opus format?

If not, I'll just keep using my older DAP's that support MP3 and AAC.

Re: Digital audio players (DAP) that support Opus format?

Reply #1
Anything with Rockbox can decode Opus. 

Re: Digital audio players (DAP) that support Opus format?

Reply #2
Rockbox is awesome and I use it on both my DAPs. But if your DAP doesn't have a Rockbox port then you can't.

AAC is very similar in both regards; quality and filesize. Why not stick with the DAP you have and use AAC? Using qaac maybe?


Re: Digital audio players (DAP) that support Opus format?

Reply #4
Rockbox is awesome and I use it on both my DAPs. But if your DAP doesn't have a Rockbox port then you can't.

AAC is very similar in both regards; quality and filesize. Why not stick with the DAP you have and use AAC? Using qaac maybe?

yeah, maybe I'll just stick with AAC and my current DAPs.

What would be the AAC equivalent of Opus 160kbps in terms of sound quality?


Re: Digital audio players (DAP) that support Opus format?

Reply #5
A recent Personal Blind Listening Test: AAC vs OPUS from 80 to 140 kbps by renowned ABX listening tester guruboolez, found: "my choice would be either AAC at 128 kbps or AAC at 144 kbps"

I'm sure for audiobooks you can go much lower.

For music, then I'm sure you'd be more than happy with 144kbps.

As always, you could do some ABX tests yourself with various encoding options. For example, if you can't ABX 160kbps Opus vs. 128kbps AAC, then go with 128kbps. If you can, then try testing AAC at ~144kbps.

From a personal subjective perspective, I am constantly amazed when I hear 128kbps AAC / Opus encodes; for me, unless it's "killer sample" and I'm trying hard to hear any issues/difference, then I cannot ABX between it and the original lossless file. My hearing and "abuse" in nightclubs in the 90s, along with Walkman listening through earbuds at too high a volume, are likely to blame for that though lol.

 

Re: Digital audio players (DAP) that support Opus format?

Reply #6
A recent Personal Blind Listening Test: AAC vs OPUS from 80 to 140 kbps by renowned ABX listening tester guruboolez, found: "my choice would be either AAC at 128 kbps or AAC at 144 kbps"

I'm sure for audiobooks you can go much lower.

For music, then I'm sure you'd be more than happy with 144kbps.

As always, you could do some ABX tests yourself with various encoding options. For example, if you can't ABX 160kbps Opus vs. 128kbps AAC, then go with 128kbps. If you can, then try testing AAC at ~144kbps.

From a personal subjective perspective, I am constantly amazed when I hear 128kbps AAC / Opus encodes; for me, unless it's "killer sample" and I'm trying hard to hear any issues/difference, then I cannot ABX between it and the original lossless file. My hearing and "abuse" in nightclubs in the 90s, along with Walkman listening through earbuds at too high a volume, are likely to blame for that though lol.

Thank you

Re: Digital audio players (DAP) that support Opus format?

Reply #7
Opus >>> AAC

Re: Digital audio players (DAP) that support Opus format?

Reply #8
I agre with jaybeee, you already have a DAP and why buy a new one. Though you might get into HE-AAC territory, and you may want to check that your old player actually supports that.

But maybe you have a smartphone?

Also if you have a player that supports both (HE-)AAC and Opus, you might want to test battery life. It is not obvious (to me) that "theoretically more efficient codec" translates to "more battery life in practice", especially not if one can be decoded in hardware and the other cannot.


Re: Digital audio players (DAP) that support Opus format?

Reply #10
I agre with jaybeee, you already have a DAP and why buy a new one. Though you might get into HE-AAC territory, and you may want to check that your old player actually supports that.

But maybe you have a smartphone?

Also if you have a player that supports both (HE-)AAC and Opus, you might want to test battery life. It is not obvious (to me) that "theoretically more efficient codec" translates to "more battery life in practice", especially not if one can be decoded in hardware and the other cannot.

I actually have two DAPs, and may have third somewhere in a box (a FiiO X1).

And for now, I've abandoned the Opus idea and will be sticking with AAC and sometimes MP3.

I prefer not to use my cellphone for music listening, as the battery life of the phone is already not stellar.