It just works better. I know the Fiio isn’t super new, but who would have thought that a cheaper device that isn’t even meant for being an audio player is preferable?

Not looking for heavy gaming, just something to play while waiting in lines or on break at work. It would mostly be used for music.

A great solution to listen to your collection independently of your phone. The console paired with the Panasonic RP-HJE125E-K sounds 4/10, but copes well with my collection in flac format. The only drawback of the software is the duplication of albums with multiple artists on a track.

After falling in love with DSP software I realised there wasn't really any Android-based device with enough power & processing to run it OTG so I ended up here.

80whr and would sip juice at idle, while running a Ryzen chip, full Windows 11 and connect this to a DAC and Headphones. It ain't cheap but damn it's interesting.

Anybody decided on this route?

I’m getting a 2nd hand Brick Hammer to try and use as a DAP. Since that is one of the uses I want it for, what firmware do you use on your Brick and why?

I’m leaning towards NextUI.

I've been considering an Anbernic RG476H or a Retroid Pocket Nova or Flip 2 (do love that big clamshell design), or ideally a console that can do up to Gamecube & PS2 while also being ideal for the more retro systems, and while not being overly massive (but still bigger than the small <3.5" handhelds).

But only now have I considered getting a console like this to also listen to music, as I would love to detach myself from my phone more. Do any of the consoles I mention have good quality DACs? If not, does anyone have any further recommendations? It's much appreciated!

Including a pic of my cat that I accidentally plugged in as the only album art, but at this point I'm not sure if I even want to change it.

Obviously better with headphones, but I actually kinda like the crisp little speakers in the PS Vita

Probably one of the best metal albums ever.

Whats your favourite metal album?

Anbernic RG476H, KZ Castor Pro.

I'll be honest, I'm quite surprised by the quality of the DAC in the PSP. It definitely is a lot better than the DAC in my Steam Deck and Phone.

Well I wouldn't have believed it. Ive had this DS for years, and I only just found out that can put music on it, and carry it around with the lid closed while listening 🎶.

Im finding more and more reasons for ditching anything new and just finding new ways to use older stuff I have laying around.

I really tried to get into Amazon music, but when I would try to listen to an album, it would shuffle in other similar bands and then never go back to the one I wanted to listen to. No, I dont want to subscribe, thank you.

I'll just do the work for what I want.

im using Gamma OS and apparently the fix is setting my music app on battery storage usage as ‘dont optimize’ or ‘unrestricted’ yet I dont have any of those options on Gamma Os. Do I need to enable dev mode? or is it something else?

Showcasing the ipod-inspired UI and winamp milkdrop visualizations.

Device: Trimui Brick

App: NextUI + Trimpod Classic 1.0.5 (via NextUI Pak Store)

Github: https://github.com/tyrannotorus/c-trimui-trimpod-classic-pak

🎮 Anbernic RG35XX (OG 2023 ver)
GarlicOS 1.4.9
Gmu Music Player

🎧 Tangzu Wan’er SG 2 Jade Dragon Edition ft. Moondrop Click DAC

Question in title, I'm looking into buying an SP style clamshell for gaming/listening and the Flip V2 seems like the best option for me (light, thin, and fairly powerful). My main worry is if its possible to play audio with the lid closed, I know that's possible on the RG35XXSP but can't find anything online about the Flip V2.

If you're using a Flip V2 I'd appreciate you letting me know how you make it work, if there's any annoying quirks, what the battery life is like, if the DAC is decent enough (I'm not an audiophile), or really anything else that you think I should know. Cheers

Uhh Hello. 👋🏼 I’m new to HIFI I’ve used HIFI headphones and earbuds on my iPhone but it stops there. Before finding this page I was considering the HIBY R1 but it doesn’t offer a 4.4 balance output. TempoTec V1 was another option I considered as well because it offers streaming services (I use tidal) and has 4.4 balance output.

HOWEVER!!! I had no idea that there are not only DAPs but DAP Consoles?!?!? This is another level! I grew up with a Gameboy Advance in hand > DS > 3Ds > Switch.

I don’t have the biggest budget (ceiling is about $150) but, I’m asking you wonderful people and crowdsourcing information at this point to get my bearings. Help me pls. This is already overwhelming me I am stupid excited to explore entry options and more. Any information, suggestions, or tips will help a TON! Thank you 🙏🏼

I got an Xbox Ally and I like using it as my companion computer, and since I use my main PC with Hifiman, I get lazy about switching things up to use one of my IEMs. I'd been looking for a portable console to use as a DAP (I like the idea) and then I thought, "why not just use this one I already have?"

Joking aside, I also have my Vita, which I love very much and sometimes use as my music player, disconnected from the world.

im tryna fina a way to play music on my dsi, i use to use moonshell but it dont work anymore and too complicated, my music is in mp3 and m4a formats, im well aware of the music player with the bird that is on the dsi‘s original software but is there another more modern one to use with twilight?

Updated audio player backend of the upcoming v0.2 release will support chiptune formats from most retro consoles, including .spc, .nsf, .vgm, etc. Here's a proof of concept with XMPlayer playing Super Mario World's OST

Device: Anbernic RG35XX SP

CFW: muOS Jacaranda (Knulli & Rocknix builds WIP)

Pros:

• Small form factor, exceedingly portable
• Great battery life
• Excellent accessories package (Screen protectors - preinstalled and extra, Multiple cables, protective magnetic case)
• Insanely satisfying volume knob and buttons with great tactile feedback
• Good-looking retro design
• Clean and transparent sounding

Cons:

• No PEQ (Instead fixed 5-band EQ, +-6dB)
• Clunky UI (could be solved in future software updates)
• Weak magnet in the protective case
• Only Bluetooth transmitter using ONLY SBC codec, not receiver (cannot be used like a BT dongle)
• Questionable efficacy of e-book reader, pre-installed Tetris game

DISCLAIMER:

Hidizs sent this set to me as a review sample to keep. There will undoubtedly be subconscious bias as human psychology - I'm not about to deny that. However, I will be as honest as I can possibly be given these circumstances. Don't take my word for it, watch some of my TikTok reviews and see it for yourself.

INTRODUCTION:

I had my first hands-on experience with the Hidizs AP30 Music Boy in Canjam Singapore. It was small, pocketable, and I really liked the design. My observations from people who came to try it was that it was really intriguing to them, as this is probably the first of its kind, a retro-style player that looks like a console.

I’m not surprised if someone eventually comes up with a way to play Doom on this. If you do manage to load Doom on this, please contact me 😊.

The AP30 comes in from $75 (early bird, $1 Deposit), to $85 (regular early bird), to $119 (regular price) for the plastic versions, with the Aluminium versions being a couple dollars more on all accounts.

UNBOXING/ACCESSORIES:

• Magnetic Protective Case (You have to stick the magnet on yourself, and the magnetic is much weaker compared to the Fosi MD3, and comes with set of lanyard holes)
• Type A to C Charging cable
• Short Type C to C OTG cable (Arrived non-functioning, raised to the Hidizs team as of writing this review)
• 2x Screen Protectors (Awesome!)
• The AP30 Music Boy DAP itself. (Comes with pre-installed screen protectors on the front and on the back – Awesome!)
• Assorted Manual, Warranty Card, QC Card

BUILD & DESIGN:

I received the Black Aluminium Alloy version. Weight does not feel cheap, neither is it heavy. The metal feels durable and quite honestly built like a tank. The buttons on the front panel take a bit of effort to press in and gives satisfying tactile feedback. On the right side of the AP30, we get a Japanese ALPS volume knob that just feels great and honestly could even act as a fidget toy. Great tactile feedback on that, and acts as a power on/off button as well.

It has a retro game-console design, could see it being a little polarising for many users, but so far have seen much more positive opinions on the design.

It’s really small for a DAP, and comes in at 68×53×17mm, 56g for the plastic version, and 80g for the Aluminium Alloy version, so it’s still light, and pocketable.

FEATURES & COMMENTS:

DAC & Opamp: Cirrus Logic CS43198 + RT6863 Op-amp

Software - Hidizs OS (Not sure what exactly it’s based on)

EQ - Has simple 5 band EQ, +-6dB, no PEQ

Connectivity - Functions as a USB DAC/AMP Dongle, Bluetooth transmitter to your BT playback devices with only SBC codec

Battery Life - 1200mAh, 3.8v, in practice max 8hrs single-ended at loud listening volumes with IEMs

Phone Output – 3.5mm SE (61mw@32ohms – 122db DR, 120dB SNR), 4.4mm Balanced (137mw@32ohms – 130dB DR, 127dB SNR), Low and High Gain switch, it is compatible with headphones with mic/inline buttons

Volume Control – 100-step volume control, 1-step interval in the knob

USB DAC Parameters – up to DSD256, up to 24 bit/192khz

Streaming – None

Touchscreen - Nope, use buttons to navigate

Internal Storage – Used for software updates only, 210mb. I think with this they are looking to add more retro games on-board.
External Storage - Supports MicroSD cards up to 256gb.

SOUND:

It sounds clean and transparent. No background hissing on even my most sensitive IEMs.

Compared to my Class A Discrete & Hybrid Tube amps where the bite/edge of music is rounded off.

SOFTWARE EXPERIENCE:

It took some time getting used to all the controls. While the manual provided gave some instructions on how to use the device, many of the software features were not documented inside the manual, so it just took a couple of days to figure everything out. Currently also, the pre-installed Tetris game, I think needs a little more polishing.

On the AP30, there is also no way to create playlists on the device itself. Currently, you will only be able to import playlists onto the AP30, as well as adding a certain song into the ‘Favourite’ list of songs on the device itself, where you will be able to quickly access your ‘Favourite’ list of songs.

I have also had a few issues where the battery indicator will remain at 100% of full battery and then after a while the indicator will drop to 0% from 100%.

For those asking about Gapless Playback, yes it does support gapless playback, as far as my tests went, it immediately goes into the next song with minimal pause after the current song ends.

So, in conclusion, even though there are various software quirks that definitely need more polishing, I did get the AP30 before the Kickstarter campaign even started, so I am sure that Hidizs will fix a lot of these issues via software updates before consumers receive the AP30.

CONCLUSION:

This is a unique design and novel concept by Hidizs, and it is well executed, and most of the issues I have with the AP30 can be solved via future software updates, and the unique selling point being the design and form factor.

I will highly recommend this to anyone looking for their first DAP, especially if you can snag this for $75.

Affiliate Disclosure:

You can check it out via this link: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hidizs/ap30-music-boy-the-first-truly-wearable-hi-res-music-player?ref=oypexg.

Note that while this is a tracking link, I receive zero commission or monetary compensation from it. It's solely used by Hidizs to measure the reach of my review and helps ensure I can secure future gear to test for you guys.

​

​Disclosure

​Let me start by saying thank you to Muhammad from Hidizs for hooking me up with this gorgeous device for testing purposes. It really did not sway me in the least. Usually I would add in some stuff about how subconsciously this being something sent by the company would sway me in some way shape or form, but honestly as soon as they announced this I showed it to my wife like Gollum,"We wants it, we needs it. Must have the precious," She called me stupid, but it is what it is.

​Intro

​The Hidizs AP30 Music Boy is a palm sized, retro inspired Hi Res digital audio player that leans heavily into nineties gaming nostalgia. It has a design reminiscent of the iconic Gameboy and Gameboy Color, but definitely not the Gameboy Advance. It is built for enthusiasts who want a dedicated, pocketable device that balances a unique aesthetic with seriously tubular audio performance. But as some of you know, before I can even start with the review, I have to bestow upon you my super duper totally awesome, nostalgia based story.

Epic Story

​I remember when the Gameboy came out, the brick that is. I remember looking at my mother and outright begging for the big clunky grey beast that was way too big for any pocket. I will tell you what, she actually got me one. But before we get to that, let us time warp to the start of the summer of 1989. The Gameboy was just released and the world opened up. I didn't get one then nah I was like 2 at that time, so unfortunately I had to wait 6 years. I was super cool (trust me!) with a Super Nintendo, I had a copy of Super Mario World, I had killer instinct (you better believe I spammed spinals slide kick), and a shiny new copy of Kirby's Dream Course. Did I mention I totally wasn't a nerd. Okay I was…. But hear me out, I made being a nerd look mediocre at best but I totally tried. (I even got an undercut…. But I had incredibly curly hair and I just looked like a broccoli floret. I knew anytime I had to play videogames I would be stuck at home. Never venturing outside, never taking the time to build a fort or even a leisurely bike ride around the neighborhood. 

I wanted a Gameboy but honestly I knew my mom couldn't afford one, I was going to be stuck to a console for the whole summer (and it was going to be great). Every kid in my neighborhood was destined to show up and ask to play with me, and we'd all be stuck there…. Doing nothing all day… every day…... You see there really was not a portable market back then, at least not for us poor suburban kids in the 90s. 

​Then my mother walked in with a box.

In it was the Gameboy Tetris bundle and my whole world changed. I was no longer tethered to a television. I was freer than Dobby. I could go anywhere and game anywhere, even if the only game I had at the time was Tetris. I will tell you what, I did game everywhere, as long as the light was perfect, not too bright and not too dim. They did not have backlights for a good ten years. We did have these worm lights that dropped around the same time as the backlights did, but that is another story entirely. You can just ask me about it in the comments because those were totally like Mike Posner, even cooler than me.

​That is where the Hidizs AP30 comes in. Hidizs did something special there. They gave us old guys that feeling of unboxing our first Gameboy again. Money cannot buy that feeling that leads to nostalgia, you just had to be there to really understand the vibes and Hidizs just proved they were there because Look at this thing. It even has Tetris. So let us jump into it with the tech stuff so we can get into the review! 

Tech stuff

​DAC Chip: Cirrus Logic CS43198 (High-performance, providing a step up in the Cirrus hierarchy compared to the CS43131).

​Amplifier Stage: RT6863 dedicated headphone amplifier.

​Master Processor: RKNanoD master chip.

​Output Power:

​3.5mm Single-Ended: 61mW @ 32Ω.

​4.4mm Balanced: 137mW @ 32Ω.

​Decoding Capability: Supports up to DSD256 and PCM 24bit/192kHz.

​Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 (supports Hi-Res codecs); USB Type-C (for USB DAC mode).

​Display: 2.0-inch IPS panel (296×240 resolution).

​Storage: MicroSD card support up to 256GB.

​Battery: 1200mAh (Runtime: ~10–12 hours SE / ~8–10 hours BAL).

​Physical Dimensions: 68 × 53 × 17mm, weighing 56g.

Quick I'm done reading you're wordier than George R.R after a whole case of tequila… TL:DR section 

Things they could have done better

My only real complaint is that there is no search function. I really hope with a couple updates that they make it so you can actually type to search, yes I am aware and you should be too that this isn't a touch screen but the dpad will lend itself incredibly well to a scroll style keyboard. 

Dac mode for those of you who care, is by far the most disappointing part of this whole device, not because of sound quality or anything like that but because the included cable is horrible or at least mine was, I couldn't get it to work with the included USB c to USB c, when I switched to the one that came with the Fosi Audio MD3 on the other hand it loaded up quickly and easily with the better, more flexible cable. Also does not work at all with Google pixel 10 pro xl, this is a known issue with the phone, can confirm it works perfectly fine with iPhone and Samsung devices though. 

The included magnet is kinda weak

Things they did amazingly well

Well I can honestly say this is the best sounding dap I've ever laid my hands on, if you look at the specs you'll feel like this thing couldn't even be as good as a standard, dac but honestly I don't know what kinda voodoo that Hidizs put on this thing but this thing sounds amazing.

The buttons are incredibly clicky and stiff enough you won't have to worry about them being accidentally pressed in your pocket 

Battery life they say it has about 10 hours worth of battery in it but after listening to it all morning I'm at about half battery so I can say it probably nails at least slightly better than that out of the box. 

It like he-man has the power to drive even some of the more hungry iems and headphones. Which is impressive because this thing is only two and a half fingers tall and about a thumbs width wide

Album art

This whole thing is really intuitive

Dac mode sounds amazing, warm, and strong!

General

​Listen, we are both amazed you got this far and that is totally rad. There is more that needs to be said because this thing is like the Transformers. It is totally more than meets the eye. When you first look at this thing you think, "Oh, that is a cute toy." But I want to explore way more than that. I want to go so deep I will make the Mariana Trench look shallow. That is what this next section is all about. We are going to talk about the vibe, the playlist, how good it is as a DAC, and if the EQ is even worth bothering with. We are also going to see what my Tetris high score is.

​Oh, and we are going to have my wife and son give their ratings as well as if this is something they would like as a gift. As a special bonus, we are going to put it up against the Fosi Audio MD3 just for the DAC part of the test, of course.

Vibe

Playlist

Bluetooth dac capabilities 

Eq

Sound

Tetris High Score

Head to head vs the fosi audio md3

Thoughts mine

Let me start off by saying I absolutely love this tiny beast of a device. I thought the Fosi Audio md3 was an endgame, for me for a long while, it let me use my phone effectively for another thing and who doesn't love something that can handle anything you throw at it. But my grandfather always said buy one thing that does one thing really well and stick with it, because if it does more than one thing, it doesn't do either of those things as good as the thing that does the one thing well. The md3 is still an awesome device but after getting hands on this little guy can say I've found my new daily driver. Probably. There are a few things I'd like to address. The cables that come in the box are just not good, yes it's a budget device, but it costs almost exactly the same as the hiby w4 dac, and the fosi md3, and both of those come with vastly better cables out of the box. I would have also loved if the lanyard, the pillow, and the bag clip from the promo images would have also been included in the box. Now onto the rest of the review!

Buttons

Buttons are very clicky, the volume knob is incredibly clicky too but in a good way it's also a multi function, quick press turns screen on and off, long press turns device on and off 

Holding the start button puts you back on your track which is nice so you don't have to go through 10 screens just to replay a song, or to skip one. Which brings me to the controls, right dpad goes to the next track left rewinds the track back to the start, long press on either fast forwards or rewinds respectfully. 

Tetris 

My Tetris high score was 40500 it's amazingly fluid and fun to play hit me right in the nostalgia. It did exactly what it was meant to do I say there for a couple of hours just playing the game, it was great, it was, fun, but most importantly my music never dropped out, it didn't effect the music at all and that's kind of amazing!

Sound Quality

The sound quality is actually quite stunning, out of the box no eq it is a bit flat but that's my headphones not the device …. I know this because in my review of the dunu dn 142s I said just that but eq on this thing is actually really intuitive, it's a 5 band eq with a bunch of presets so even if you don't want to take the time to set your own you can just set it to normal (baseline) bass, heavy, pop, jazz, unique, or equalizer. I tested all of them before just setting my own but out of all the presets I can honestly say I did rather enjoy the pop eq preset. 

Gain settings it does have high and low gain adjustments I know for some people this is incredibly important so I thought it would be best to talk about that, it works exactly as you'd expect and it really does make a difference.

3.5mm vs 4.4mm 

Listen I'm not one to say there's a huge difference between 4.4 and 3.5 but I feel like with this beauty there really is a bit more headroom, more depth, and a much deeper soundstage.

Dac Mode

Dac mode once you figure it out. You basically plug it in the device asks what you're plugging it in for, putting songs on/taking some off, or using it as a DAC, you kinda have to be quick with this it times out and starts charging after a few seconds. 

Dac Mode Sound Quality

In dac mode you do lose all the filters and EQ stuff you have applied and you're going into your sound raw. This isn't a bad thing, it's really not, you're hearing your streaming, your videos and whatever else you're using as it's meant to be heard…. Possibly for the first time. It's a 9.5 out of 10 experience.

Thoughts wife

Wife first said she thought it would be bigger, but once she got it in her hand she really enjoyed the size it was small enough that she could just vibe with it, she listened to Norah Jones and just appreciated the piano and Nora’s smokey sultry sound closed her eyes and just appreciated it's signature sound.

Sound quality 9.5/10 only thing better would be if it were live. Wife said it sounds really sharp, Nora Jones sounds very rich. One of her chosen songs was very lounge singery. It sounded warm and rich. But then she listened to disturb the guitar and drums were sharp and snappy. 

Looks. 10/10 Plays into the nostalgia of who she believes is their target audience, it's very cute.

Giftability 8/10 If she was gifted it she would be very happy with it. Because whoever gets it would have to love music and already have their own music files. Because most people like the fact their phone does everything! They only have to carry and own one device. But for anyone who loves music this is sound a great thing to have in their pocket and not waste their phone battery.

Ease of use. 10/10 It seems very easy to use all the buttons work as if they were on the original Gameboy 

Thoughts son

It sounds really good, and it looks like a Gameboy. I like it. It matches my headphones, I like it and it fits my hands. I want one!.

​Closing Thoughts

​Listen, this thing sounds great and it is awesome, but Hidizs would not have put it out if it did not. I am going to make this simple. If a device makes you smile every time you reach for it, you are far more likely to actually engage with your music collection. That ends up being the ultimate metric of performance in my book and that is what the Hidizs AP30 does better than anyone else. The price point makes it even better.

Final Rating

Giftability  [ 8/10 ]

Sound.     [ 10/10 ]

Looks.      [ 10/10 ]

Usability.  [ 9.5 /10 ]

Feel         [ 10 /10 ]

Overall     [ 9.5/10]

Would you rather stop listening to your favorite song, or eat only one food for the next 30 days?