The best DACs in a hi-fi audio player. Hi-Fi players - what is it, what is it for and why? Budget Hi-Fi components from Cambridge Audio
Tatyana Kotova
Modern smartphones often replace users with a camera, a tablet, a navigator, and even a player. But music lovers have their own attitude and certain requirements for sound. This is why true music lovers prefer to carry separate portable audio players with them. Our rating includes players that have collected a large number of positive reviews from experts and ordinary buyers.
Which MP3 player is better to buy?
What parameters should you use to choose a portable player for yourself? Let's define the criteria. Firstly, digital players are associated with the mp3 format simply by inertia. In fact, the vast majority of them have long been able to reproduce losslessly compressed music. Another thing is that all devices have different abilities for this matter. To simplify extremely, let's say this: there is the mp3 (lossy) level, followed by devices that can play lossless recordings with the quality of an audio CD and formats close to it, and then there are High Resolution Audio players. The latter are distinguished by high frequencies and quantization bit depth, due to which the output signal more closely matches the analog source.
As for the variety of formats, even frankly budget digital players are capable of reproducing the most common of them, at least in low resolution. The bigger problem here is the following. Entry-level models cannot provide decoding of lossless tracks with high bitrates and, at best, will skip them. At worst, just stop.
The quality of the music recordings themselves is a separate issue. We only note that their shortcomings are more pronounced in high-end players.
Other important characteristics worth mentioning:
- amount of built-in memory (if any);
- number of slots for memory cards;
- display type;
- availability of wireless interfaces;
- the ability to use the player as an external digital-to-analog converter (DAC).
Don't forget that the headphones must match the player. At a minimum, with its class and internal resistance. Decide what is important to you in a media device, and then start making your choice. The best, most reliable and high-quality mp3 players, popular at the end of 2018 - beginning of 2019, are in our rating.
And by the way, X-Stream X-01 will completely replace some expensive Sony models.
Tip 2. Pay attention to Takstar headphones.
Takstar has been producing excellent professional audio solutions for many years. Their headphones were no exception. Models such as Hi2050, Pro80 and the same 6xx line are quite comparable in all respects, from sound to design, to the well-known models of Beyerdynamic and Sennheiser. The only significant difference is the price.
Tip 3. Pay attention to the Ritmix RH-555, and especially the RH-508.
These two models deserve close attention, as they have good sound at a good price. 555 are more expensive, but they are solidly built and look good. 508 look very simple, but with their price of 450 rubles and very high sound quality, they are simply unbeatable if you are looking for headphones for portable use. 
Tip 4. If you have a Koss Porta Pro, Sporta Pro or KSC-75 - mod it.
A very simple modification significantly improves the sound quality of these popular models and allows them to compete on equal terms with famous headphones with price tags of hundreds of dollars.
Tip 5. Look on the aftermarket for the AKG K702.
AKG recently updated its line with the K712 and K812 headphones, so fans of the brand's sound are now actively selling the K702 for an upgrade, and they can be found for about $200 on eBay (you can also look at the K701 and Q701, they are similar). K702 have a very detailed and smooth sound that will appeal to fans of complex music that is not aimed at filling the ears with bass and will delight the owner with the width of the virtual stage and the accuracy of the material. It is very advisable for them to acquire a DAC and an amplifier (you can take a two-in-one combine), below I will tell you how to do this without much damage to the budget.
Tip 6. The modified Fostex R50RP headphones are worthy of the attention of sophisticated audio connoisseurs.
I wrote about the ZMF project, I will briefly repeat its conclusions. Modified Foxtex T50RP are unrivaled in detail, clarity and smoothness. You will need an amplifier, but if you are willing to invest in one, they will give you back in spades.
Tip 9. Get a DAC and amplifier.
If you want to get really high-quality sound, then the built-in sound card will not help you at all. Fortunately, for less than $100, you can purchase the Fiio E07K, a versatile portable headphone amp that combines a portable headphone amplifier with an external USB DAC. Also worthy of consideration are products such as the Audinst HUD-MX2, U2 DAC from HiFiMeDIY, Electric Avenues PA2V2 and many others.
Tip 10. Sandisk Sansa Clip is a very good player.
With their Sansa series, Sandisk has revolutionized the idea of what an inexpensive player can sound like. After the Rockbox operating system was ported to the players of this family, they can be considered a good choice for “music lovers on a limited budget.” 
Tip 11. Look at inexpensive hi-fi players.
If you want truly high-quality sound in a portable device, pay attention to players from Chinese manufacturers in the price range from 200 to 300 dollars: iBasso DX50, iHIFI 760, HiFiMan 601. At a reasonable price, they confidently outperform all phones and smartphones in terms of sound quality , usually used for listening to music.
Tip 12. Consider all the components of your “bundle”.
There is no point in listening to a Hi-Fi player with crooked, albeit expensive, headphones. Likewise, there is no point in overpaying for expensive headphones if you are going to listen to them with an iPhone or a cheap Chinese player. Read forums and look for reviews on the Internet to understand how certain components will be combined. But at the same time, remember that the only criterion for the correct sound is your own taste, and the argument “I like it” is decisive in any dispute on audio topics.
A new player model from FiiO has gone on sale on the Russian market. FiiO M5 is the most compact model in the brand’s line, which at first glance looks like a smart watch. Inside there is a powerful Ingenic X1000E processor and a Bluetooth chip that supports all audio encoding formats, so you can enjoy your favorite music without loss of quality.
A holiday that is always with you: how to choose a portable audio player
Today's smartphones actually seem to have pushed portable players out of the ordinary user's purview. The latest generation of mobile phones have a fast processor, a capacious battery, a decent amount of memory and can offer solid functionality, including wireless audio streaming. However, not everything is so simple.
Astell & Kern A&norma SR15. Review
This model has an unusual design and an even more unusual name (A&K also has a player called A&ultima), as well as two DAC chips, 3.5 and 2.5 mm headphone outputs (the latter is balanced), 64 GB of memory plus a slot for microSD card, built-in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Tidal.
Test of the portable player Astell&Kern A&futura SE100: a quarter of a kilogram of audio buzz
Astell&Kern marked a new era in its model range with new names: players, instead of alphanumeric indices starting with AK, received long names. The SE100 model was the first in the A&futura line - and it lives up to its futurism.
Test of portable player Astell&Kern A&norma SR15: ennoble everything and everyone
The new generation of Astell&Kern players, in addition to the alphanumeric index, also received an additional name. The A&norma SR15 player belongs to the entry level in the brand classification; it replaced the AK70 MKII. But just because it's an entry-level player doesn't mean it's simple.
FiiO M9 player test: audiophile workhorse
The X3 family of portable players from the Chinese manufacturer FiiO is replenished with enviable regularity. Instead of the X3 Mk4 index, the developers assigned the new player, which continues the traditions of the line, M9. And for good reason: the new product is still seriously different from its predecessors.
Review of the Astell&Kern SE100 music player
If the flagship SP1000 used two top AK4497EQ DACs from the Japanese Asahi Kasei, and the entry-level SR15 model used a double CS4398 from Cirrus Logic, then the SE100, which occupies an intermediate position, uses the leader of the ESS professional line - the ES9038PRO chip. Amazing variety!
Review. Fiio M7. The player is better
If High End players are safe, being products for enthusiasts who understand why they need such an expensive toy, then much more mass-produced machines for 100 - 200 dollars are under pressure from below from the ubiquitous smartphones, which have long been playing music, taking photographs, yes what they don’t do. Let's see what the Fiio M7 player, the entry-level model in the line of the most famous manufacturer of portable audio equipment, is capable of.
Full metal shell with a surprise (Test of the Astell&Kern A&Ultima SP1000 portable audio player)
Astell&Kern A&Ultima SP1000 is one of the most odious pocket audio players on the market today. The model is armed with an eight-core processor, a pair of top-end DACs, a touch screen and a unique case made of copper or steel (two modifications). The price is “half a car” and the sound quality is equally fantastic. In a word - this is a portable High-End without fear or reproach.
Test of Astell&Kern A&ultima SP1000 audio player and Astell&Kern Michelle headphones
It's hard to be a trendsetter in the world of audio, especially when it comes to such a hot topic as headphones and portable players. Nevertheless, Astell&Kern has been able to do this for many years. It would seem that the brand appeared on the market relatively recently, by industry standards, but today it is difficult to imagine the landscape of the country of Audiophilia without the peak of the Astell&Kern corporate logo towering over it.
Test of the Astell&Kern A&Ultima SP1000 player with MrSpeakers Ether C Flow headphones: High End has never been cheap
The universe of portable audio is growing and expanding, but it is still far from reaching the scale of traditional Hi-Fi and High End. If we talk about portable High End, then this niche is filled to the least extent. Players costing more than 100 thousand rubles can be counted on one hand, but there is only one absolutely recognizable and recognized leader in this direction. And each of his new products inevitably attracts attention, including ours.
Test of the Astell&Kern AK70 MkII portable player: two DACs for almost the same money
The Astell&Kern company is known primarily for its players in the luxury segment. However, it is difficult to survive solely on top products in such a difficult area as high-quality personal audio, and therefore more budget models have appeared in the brand’s portfolio. One of them, AK70, is now in its second generation, and it was this version that I got to test.
Test Astell&Kern A&ultima SP1000
Every new high-end device forces us to rethink a little about what that term means. Ten, or even five years ago, anyone who suddenly decided to classify a portable player in this class would have been laughed at. And today, the boom in personal audio has led to the fact that such devices are not inferior to full-size components not only in appearance, weight and price - which is shocking immediately when you get acquainted with the SP1000 - but also in content. At your service is not just a pocket player, equipped with the flagship Asahi Kasei AK4497 chips and reproducing files of various formats with PCM streams with a resolution of up to 32 bit/384 kHz, as well as DSD256. It is also an external DAC for your computer, and a network player equipped with Wi-Fi - it allows you to play audio from external servers and can even serve as a source of music content for devices on your home network.
Astell & Kern Kann review: Portable Hi-Res audio player with eye-catching design and stunning sound
As Oscar Wilde once remarked: “Moderation is fatal; success comes with excess." The company was clearly guided by this principle when creating this player. Its bulky design and unusual design won't be to everyone's liking, but the excellent sound will make you come to terms with them.
Fiio X7 II - Flagship
The Fiio X7 II player is the next, next version of the company's flagship device and combines a set of the most modern and advanced functionality (in terms of audio) and good sound quality, and therefore is of undoubted interest to all fans of new products in the industry. The device understands all formats, is equipped with an advanced ESS Saber 9028Pro chipset and its own digital filters (very successful, by the way), and has convenient controls. But that's not all.
Audiophile player FiiO X5 III (3rd Gen) based on dual mono AK4490 and Android OS. Review
FiiO X5 III represents the third generation of the popular mid-price player. It adopted the touch screen and Android OS from the flagship FiiO X7 and became very similar to the X7 without the amplifier connected underneath. All electronic components in the X5 III were completely redone. In fact, the engineers left nothing from the X5 except a popular name, indicating a relatively affordable price. What good did the update bring?
Review of portable player Questyle QP1R
The QP1R model is a modified version of the QP1 player, in which Questyle used improved components and set a higher price. I have used the Questyle QP1R for a long time and really enjoyed it.
Astell&Kern: AK T8iE Mk II, AK70. Major League
Astell&Kern is now famous not only for its exotic players, it offers complete, ready-made systems. What is the player missing from a complete system? That's right, headphones! But unlike players, the development and production of which the company handles itself, in the production of A&K headphones they rightly rely on the experience of specialized companies that modify their popular models taking into account the requirements of their partner. Therefore, along with the logo of the real developer and manufacturer, there is also the A&K logo. And, of course, taking into account the fact that Astell&Kern players are always included in the segment of expensive and very expensive devices, they choose headphones of the appropriate class.
Astell & Kern AK70 review. Magazine "WHAT HI-FI?"
The AK70's sound improvements over the Jr are more evolutionary than revolutionary, but their combination with expanded functionality and a more user-friendly interface earns Astell & Kern another top rating - and, who knows, maybe another Award
HiFiMAN HM-802 with replaceable amplifiers: the best output, review. Portal "www.4pda.ru"
At first glance, the idea of replacing amplifier modules for better compatibility with headphones may seem too expensive, since not only the option blocks cost money, but also the design that allows them to be quickly changed. But in return we get something very valuable: the ability to choose exactly the sound we like. Moreover, without the use of digital processing, which makes the sound tiresome.
Onkyo portable amplifiers. Hi-Fi in your pocket, review. Portal "www.iphones.ru"
Today we will talk about devices that will turn almost any sound source into a Hi-Fi class player. The choice of such devices is quite large, but there are very few, if not almost non-existent, manufacturers whose devices produce truly high-quality sound at reasonable prices. And that is why the heroes of our review are the portable amplifiers DAC-HA200 and DAC-HA300 from the Japanese company Onkyo, one of the few that fall into this extremely narrow niche.
As the owner of the iBasso DX50 player, I was eager to listen to something of a higher class. Like “how do they live there on Rublyovka”? The universe heard me, and two major league players ended up in my hands in turn: the Sony Walkman NW-ZX2 and the Astell & Kern AK240.
An indispensable addition to the flagship player of the ambitious Astell&Kern brand is the AK380 AMP amplifier!
What could be more exciting than real live studio sound coming from a small, miniature cabinet worthy of a massive home speaker system? And when it seems that it is no longer possible to improve the already excellent sound, Astell&Kern will certainly surprise even the most experienced listener!
Many lovers of quality music are beginning to give up listening to MP3 and are beginning to explore lossless formats , but first choose an inexpensive, but high-quality Hi-Fi player. In this regard, we decided to select the best budget models for playing uncompressed audio files, you could see them in our reviews or on the YouTube channel. The presented four are a balance between objective assessment and subjective perception. Now let's get to know them better, compare and listen!
The best budget Hi-Fi players, the sounds of which rock mid-budget headphones
It features a very sharp sound delivery, which gives a feeling of very high detail, and the aggressive musical nature of the sound will give additional bonuses when listening to fast compositions and a large number of instruments.
It has a similar, darkened sound as in xDuoo, but it sounds noticeably softer without losing detail. Also, the second generation FiiO X1 has Bluetooth, and its interface is nicer and more convenient to use, so it is considered the best Hi-Fi player in an affordable price range.
The most expensive budget and interesting option, since the musical presentation itself has a slightly more detailed sound, control over low frequencies is noticeably better, while maintaining a fairly transparent top. This player model can also be used as an external DAC when connected to a PC or smartphone with OTG support.
In conclusion, it is also worth mentioning the most budget version of the Hi-Fi player.
It's good and it's not about the design, this audio player has a DAC function and Bluetooth. But compared to previous models, it doesn't have enough structure in the bass. Although, when listening to bluetooth, it’s not particularly noticeable...
We tested budget Hi-Fi players:
Alexander Vakushev and Yuri Mikhailik
Hi-Fi players are now considered premium portable technology. Music lovers and fans of advanced acoustic developments are willing to pay large sums for the right to own such a gadget. Today we will figure out what a “luxury” device is and whether its cost, declared not only by modern manufacturers, but also by intermediaries in the sale of high-fi players on the consumer market, is reasonable. A Hi-Fi device for playing music means a portable audio device capable of “pure” transmission of the frequency range, using advanced technologies used in the production of the type of players in question, as well as technical characteristics that allow the user’s headphones to “unleash the potential” to the fullest. For the correct perception of further information by a potential buyer of “luxury” equipment, it is worth clarifying that the most popular question related to the comparative analysis of Hi Fi and MP3 players is, in most cases, not posed correctly. A hi-fi device is considered more of a definition that belongs to the class of high-quality portable “equipment” capable of reproducing musical frequencies as accurately as possible, which determines the “volume” of the output sound. When talking about MP3 players, we mean the type of players that are compatible to work correctly with the digital file formats of the same name. Thus, it is inappropriate to compare Hi-Fi devices with MP3 analogues. However, there are still a number of distinctive features of premium music gadgets from other devices that create primitive sound for “audiophiles.” Such “unique” characteristics include: Considering the high-tech design features of the type of portable audio players in question, their high market value is quite predictable. Manufacturers of Hi-Fi players explain the “unavailability” of their product with a number of significant advantages for the user, which require financial costs in the creation and sale of players. These advantages, in addition to those listed above, include: To be fair, it is worth noting that despite the long presence of hi-fi players in the modern consumer market, manufacturers have not yet managed to eliminate their significant shortcomings. This means that before making a final decision on the advisability of a large financial investment, a potential user of an expensive device should carefully study and analyze the following list of disadvantages of Hi-Fi equipment in the segment in question, according to buyers. First of all, you should be prepared for: The list below of the best gadgets included in the top hi-fi players clearly illustrates what technical characteristics the top devices in the rating, compiled based on sales results in 2019, should have.Top models
- “unresponsive” interface causing system freezes
- impressive dimensions and weight of the gadget
- unfinished operating system and “raw” standard applications for the basic functionality of the device
A high-quality audio player of the “premium” line, capable of not only “purely” playing the owner’s favorite music, but also running video and text files, allowing the user to be convinced every time that the iBasso DX200 is one of the best gadgets in its segment.
- Supported media type: Flash
- Built-in storage capacity: no
- Maximum memory card capacity: 256 GB
- Sampling rate: 192
- Supported formats: MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, WAV, PCM, AIFF, DSD, DFF, DSF, SACD ISO
- Battery life: 12 hours
- Additional options: Bluetooth module; A2DP; line output; USB-Host; coaxial output; touch control panel
- reasonable cost
- high frequency transmission accuracy of the reproduced audio stream
- high-quality assembly of the structure, as well as individual functional elements
- low sensitivity of touch buttons and their inconvenient location
- “crude” software that is difficult to control by the user
- incompatibility with Linux
An affordable portable MP3 player that is not inferior in functionality to expensive Hi-Fi gadgets, which, as a rule, differ from their “competitors” in a set of “crude”, rarely used options.
- Player type: Hi-Fi
- Supported media type: Flash
- PC connection type: USB0
- Supported formats: MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, WAV, PCM, AIFF, DSD, DFF, DSF
- Battery life: 45 hours
- Additional options: ability to work as a USB DAC, built-in slot for microSD, Bluetooth module, A2DP, NFC, built-in FM tuner, digital equalizer
- sufficient screen expansion, large diagonal for its segment
- simple player control using a well-thought-out functional menu
- high-quality transmission of the frequency range of the audio stream reproduced by the user
- sound lags behind the picture displayed on the screen when watching a video via USB - connection
- periodic freezing of the sensor and the system as a whole
- lack of ability to sort downloaded songs, in particular creating playlists
A high-fi player from a well-known manufacturer of mp3 devices, the difference of which lies in the combination of a wide range of functionality with the ease of “intuitive” control of a seemingly ordinary gadget.
- Sampling rate: 192
- Supported media type: Flash
- Built-in storage capacity: 64 GB
- PC connection type: USB0
- Supported formats: MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, WAV, AIFF, DSD, DFF, DSF, DXD
- Additional options: ability to work as a USB DAC; 2 built-in slots for microSD; possibility of firmware; line output, optical output, coaxial output
- Sampling rate: 192
- Supported media type: Flash
- Built-in storage capacity: 16 GB
- PC connection type: USB0
- Supported formats: MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, APE, WAV, WMV, SWF (Flash), ASF, AVI, MPEG-4, WMV9, XviD, SMI, JPG
- Battery life: 13 hours
- Additional options: software for playing text, graphic and video file formats; built-in voice recorder; microSD card slot; FM – tuner; watch; built-in speaker; possibility of firmware; calculator
- natural “smooth” sound, maximally immersing the user in the audio content being listened to
- user-friendly interface, accessible for use at an “intuitive level”
- long battery life
- low quality of the functional screen, which, in turn, is resistive
- inconvenient location of function buttons
- inability to use a memory card larger than 64 GB
A reliable device whose technical capabilities are distinguished by their thoughtfulness and ease of use in the conditions of “real” operation of the gadget.
The above review of the features of Hi-Fi players, an assessment of their positive and negative aspects of use, as well as consideration of the top models of equipment in this segment will undoubtedly allow the buyer to choose the right quality device among the huge variety of gadgets presented on the modern consumer market.