I should have said “$7-800” DAPs that I think sound better than the Calyx M, since different people obviously have different preferences and put different priorities on various technicalities.
I preferred the A&K SR15 and both the Sony ZX300 and WM1A (would have to be used to come in at the stated price) over the Calyx M. Both offer balanced output, as well, which the Stellia is fully able to take advantage of. I found the mid-range on the Calyx M to be a bit unsettled when there was a lot going on and the overall presentation to be “hyper-detailed” (in an “oversharpened” way, rather than “an actual resolution” way). Not that it was bad, it just didn’t work for me.
I’ve not heard the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch, but I do have the Cayin N8 here … and while I’d need it side-by-side with the Calyx M to be sure, and only have about 8 hours listening to it now (with whatever caveats about burn-in you want to apply/assume), its as good as, or better than, several units that I have heard in direct comparison to the Calyx unit and all of which were, for me, better than the M. So there’s a bit of triangulation in there.
I wasn’t an A&K 380 fan either. Haven’t heard the Cowon L.
As ever, I’d recommend trying before buying as preferences, priorities and synergy are all important factors. But I still don’t think adding an amp to get a 3 dB (or other fixed value) bass boost is going to get you what you want.