Ranking of the best portable HI-FI players in 2020

HI-FI player is a device that reproduces high fidelity sound close to the original sound. Equipment with a similar abbreviation is manufactured according to the speaker standard. The cheapest product reproduces good sound better than an expensive smartphone. Among the players there are Chinese devices - fakes of expensive firms, premium models made of metal and wood, devices of average cost with high sounding. To purchase portable acoustics, you need to know the technical characteristics and functionality. Let's try to understand the new players in 2020, make the right choice and make a rating of high-quality devices, according to descriptions and customer reviews.

How to choose a HI-FI device

The human ear perceives live sound with a wide variety of shades. Audio recordings do not convey phonemes, therefore, live music is digitized, recorded on electronic media and released in circulation. Then the opposite process takes place: electronic sound is converted into analog. The process is assisted by the main component - a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) and an additional - an amplifier. To convey the depth of detail in the player, powerful parts are installed, with large batteries and high energy consumption.

Criteria for choosing a quality player:

• DAC power and model;
• amplifier type;
• range of reproducible frequencies;
• audio file formats supported by the gadget;
• operating time outside the standby mode;
• connectors;
• the amount of built-in memory;
• the likelihood of its expansion;
• control method;
• device weight;
• additional functions.

DAC - amplifier

The cost of the device and the quality of music directly depends on the model and power of the DAC and amplifier. World manufacturers produce goods with specific tones: some focus on bass, others catch mid and high frequencies. To give preference to the player, you need to listen to your favorite music. The perfect sound will appear if the device has 2 DACs.

Frequencies

Sound quality depends on the width of the frequency response ranges. The maximum frequency range in the player ranges from 20 to 60 kHz. Devices of different price category and quality operate in the range of 20 - 20,000 Hz.

File formats

There are special programs and applications that help to compress live sound in order to save disk space. When compressing a file, the quality remains the same as the original recording, or is somewhat lost with decreasing range. File extensions that remain unchanged: ALAC, FLAC, APE, PCM, ADPCM. File extensions that are perfectly compressed, but lower quality: MP3, AAC, OGG, WMA. High-quality files with a large size have the following extensions: WAV, AIFF.Maximum size and highest sound quality will work with extensions: DSD, DSF, DFF, ISO, DXD. The latest formats are intended for music lovers, installed on expensive professional devices.

Player operating time

Usually portable devices work for 24 hours. If the product sounds for more than a day, it uses a weak DAC and amplifier, and the quality of the music is greatly lost.

Audio connectors

To connect to other devices and when charging, the player must be equipped with inputs and outputs. The line input carries an acoustic analog signal without processing. The coaxial output connects the player to any device in the house, transmitting the signal in digital form. The balance jack delivers clear sound and eliminates interference. The optical connector controls digital and eliminates electrical interference. Modern models have a USB socket, micro USB for transferring files with any extension.

Memory and expandability

The higher the quality of the audio file, the greater its size. As an example, when compressed to 192 kB, the fundamental frequencies are retained, throwing out a variety of additional noise. Compression to 320 kB gives more musical nuances. Large ranges of files must fit into a large amount of memory. Therefore, the player with a lot of free space is more appreciated. The average memory size of most devices sold ranges from 4GB to 256GB. If necessary, on the market you can buy a device with one or two slots for a memory card. Installing cards increases the memory capacity. These models use microSD cards.

Control type

Distinguish between push-button and touch control. The ideal option is mixed control when everything is involved. Certain types are inconvenient. When analyzing models, budget devices are controlled by buttons. The mixed type is welcomed in expensive devices.

Device weight

Compact models weigh 40 grams, the most powerful ones reach 200 grams. The severity is due to the metal case - protection against falls, the capacity of the built-in battery, the weight of the amplifier.

Functionality

Any player has a structure with a narrow specialization. The site can be useful if there are additional functions. Among the useful functions are: a waterproof frame that extends the life of the product; equalizers - regulate wave amplitudes, help to get the necessary sound in terms of frequencies and bass; Bluetooth - synchronizes the gadget with a computer and wireless headphones; clip - to attach the player to clothing; tuner - listen to the radio; Wi-Fi is used when downloading files from the Internet; video viewing mode, digital video camera; voice recorder; electronic book; camera, etc. Players are used to listen to quality music. The rest of the functions and modes are not considered necessary.

Product price

Low-cost devices can be bought for 2-4 thousand rubles. They have weak DACs and amplifiers, poor music quality, small memory size, low weight. Quality converters are more expensive. Players of average cost (20-50 thousand rubles) work with built-in memory of 16 GB during the day. Powerful premium DACs work with 32GB - 64GB cache, support additional capacity and most audio formats. The price of the product is over 50 thousand rubles.

2020 model rating

New models of equipment appear on the market every month. Manufacturers do not pass by portable players either. Lovers of just listening to music are releasing budget gadgets that can be purchased even on online sites, for example, on AliExpress. Music lovers are offered more expensive and decent models of players in the middle price range with high quality sound. New items with prohibitively high prices, corresponding high-quality sound and the necessary menu functionality are designed for professionals.Today the most popular models are Sony, Cayin, Astell & Kern, Fiio. Most of the manufacturing firms are located in East Asia: Korea, China, Japan. For the past 10 years, it is the east that has been the leader in the loudspeaker market.

TOP - 3 budget devices worth up to 10,000 rubles

3rd place - Cayin N3

Memory - 256 GB microSD slot.
Opening hours - 12 hours.
Weight - 100 gr.
The cost is 9 590 rubles.

A device with a sampling rate of 32/384 without internal memory. Inside there is a slot for a 256 GB card. Graphics, video files, voice recorder mode are not supported. The player plays basic formats: MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, WAV, PCM, AIFF, DSD, DFF, DSF, SACD ISO. The player is connected to the computer using USB generation 3.0. Music can be listened to wirelessly via Bluetooth, A2DP. There are also line and coaxial outputs, USB-Host. The display has a diagonal of 2.4 inches, a resolution of 360x400. The body cover is metal, the gadget is controlled by a touch panel. The menu provides a sleep timer, which is convenient for those who like to listen to music while lying in bed. In the process of listening, you can delete unnecessary tracks, clean albums. The package contains a cheap silicone case and a spare film for the screen (the film is also glued to the player itself).

• high-quality sound;
• excellent build;
• easy;
• ergonomic;
• functional;
• external DAC;
• wide range of volume;
• battery lasts 12 hours, as stated;
• successful equipment;
• Russified menu.

• inconveniently small touch panel;
• the sensor does not respond well;
• cheap button material.

2nd place - Shanling M0

CACHE - 512 GB microSD slot.
Opening hours - 15 hours.
Weight - 38 gr.
Price - 6 490 rubles.

Low cost Hi-Fi player with high quality music. The frame is metal, the screen is touch-sensitive, color, the connection is wireless via Bluetooth. The display is square, size 1.54 inches, resolution 240x240. The maximum bit depth of files is 32/384. The unit is suitable for listening to music, there are no video, graphics, text, voice recorder modes. The clock works in the menu, there is the possibility of firmware and updates. Its own battery works autonomously for up to 15 hours. The camera can install a card with a memory capacity of 512 GB. The choice of colors on the market is interesting: black and bright juicy colors. The mechanical button is configurable for single-double-triple clicks.

• easy;
• stylish;
• compact;
• beautiful clear sound;
• large selection of colors;
• capacious battery;
• autonomy;
• bright display;
• the sensor responds quickly;
• great price.

• inconvenient button control.

1st place - Flang P5

Memory - 128 GB microSD cell.
Opening hours - 12 hours.
Weight - 165 gr.
Price - 6 490 rubles.

The Hi-Fi player does not have a built-in memory; all records are stored on a memory card up to 128 MB. The card is purchased separately. The device reads 6 kinds of formats. There is a Bluetooth wireless interface, a line-out for connecting to a computer. Not much is noted about the screen, only the type is indicated - OLED. There is a built-in Li-Ion battery inside, charging takes place via a USB type C socket. The audio channel power is 125 mW, the noise reaches 95 dB. The player is flashed, the volume is controlled by a digital equalizer. Control is carried out by buttons.

• brutal design;
• reliable and convenient;
• clear sound;
• good noise reduction;
• availability of wireless technology.

• not detected.

Summary table 1:

Parameters	Flang P5	Shanling M0	Cayin N3
Memory, GB	not	not	not
Slot	1	1	1
Memory card, GB	128	512	256
Working time, h	12	15	12
Charging connector	USB Type-C	USB Type-C	USB Type-C
Screen, inch	Yes	1.54	2.4
Resolution		240x240	360x400
Viewing video, graphics, text	not	not	not
Voice recorder	not	not	not
FM tuner	not	not	not
Interfaces	Bluetooth	Bluetooth	Bluetooth, A2DP, Line Out, USB Host, Coaxial Out
Signal level, dB	95	118	108
Formats	MP3, WMA, FLAC, APE, WAV, PCM	MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, AC3, WAV, PCM, AIFF, DSD, DFF, DSF, DXD, SACD ISO	MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, WAV, PCM, AIFF, DSD, DFF, DSF, SACD ISO
Additionally	digital equalizer, firmware	clock, firmware	touchpad, sleep timer, metal body
Dimensions, mm	73x123x30	40x45x13.5	54x100x13
Weight, gr	165	38	100
Cost, RUB	6.49	6.49	9.59

TOP-3 players of the middle price category

3rd place - Cowon PLENUE J

Storage - 64GB + microSD camera.
Opening hours - 53 hours.
Value - 78 g.
The cost is 17,990 rubles.

The stylish unusual design of the player is made in strict straight lines of the body. The model is presented in classic black, bluish silver and rose gold. A 2.8-inch touchscreen LCD with a resolution of 240x320 displays the most necessary information. The sound is detailed, even, suitable for listening to music of any genre. The gadget reads most lossness formats. When buying a memory card, you should pay attention to the file system - the player accepts only FAT32. The built-in battery is charged by connecting to the microUSB socket. The device has been working for more than two days. With constant use 3-4 hours a day, the battery lasts for a week.

• strict design;
• lightweight, compact;
• build quality;
• autonomy of work up to two days;
• memory size with expansion;
• the best ratio of cost and sound quality;
• rational quick menu;
• reads most formats;
• stability of work;
• large volume range:
• durable metal body.

• no wireless connection;
• long switching to a memory card, even a small volume;
• there is no case included;
• defective copies come across.

2nd place - Sony NW-A55HN

CACHE - 16 GB + microSD slot.
Opening hours - 45 hours.
Weight - 99 gr.
The price is 19,990 rubles.

The Hi-Fi node with 16 GB of memory has a slot for its expansion by 128 MB. The metal frame houses a 3.1-inch touchscreen display. The resolution of the color LCD display is 480x800. The player does not allow viewing graphic and video files, there is no dictaphone. The model is suitable for lovers of audio recordings and radio. The body is assembled clearly, a little rough to the touch. Markets and venues represent different colors of the model. File sampling rate: 24/192. The player reads all possible audio formats. The computer is connected via USB 2.0, you can charge the battery using your own proprietary port. Upon opening the package, the user will see headphones with noise cancellation system. Additional features include the ability to flash, channel sound power is 35 mW, digital equalizer is adjustable.

• stylish appearance;
• high-quality assembly;
• convenient dimensions;
• metal body;
• good sound;
• headphones included;
• reads all formats;
• good autonomy;
• functions of a bluetooth receiver and external DAC;
• convenient menu.

• low quality sound in the bundled headphones;
• little memory;
• inconvenient touch control;
• own connector.

1st place - Fiio M6

Memory - 4GB + microSD slot.
Opening hours - 13 hours.
Weight - 83 gr.
Price - 14 890 rubles.

Hi-Fi player with 4 GB of built-in memory works on the Android system, via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, modules. There is one slot inside - the internal memory can be increased by installing a microSD memory card up to 2000 GB. The model has a 3.2-inch color touchscreen with a resolution of 480 x 800. It uses an ESS ES9018 DAC, the noise is set at 118 dB. In addition to music, the device plays video clips, graphics and text files. Files are supported 24/192. There is no voice recorder. Its own battery is charged by USB Type-C. Additionally, the menu has a clock, AirPlay support, there is the possibility of updates and firmware. The dimensions of the case are 53x93x12 mm. The package includes a cover and a film for the display.

• Beautiful design;
• high-quality assembly;
• comfortable dimensions;
• good sound;
• convenient menu;
• high brightness;
• fast sensor;
• universal connector;
• equipment;
• fast bluetooth module;
• the possibility of firmware.

• slow processor;
• takes a long time to load and slows down;
• the screen is too small for gesture control;
• autonomous work up to 7 hours.

Summary table 2:

Parameters	Fiio M6	Sony NW-A55HN	Cowon PLENUE J
Memory, GB	4	16	64
Slot	1	1	1
Memory card, GB	2000	128	128
OS	Android
Working time, h	13	45	53
Charging connector	USB Type-C	USB proprietary	microUSB
Screen, inch	3,2	3.1	2.8
Resolution	480x800	480x800	240x320
Viewing video, graphics, text	Yes	not	not
Voice recorder	Yes	not	not
FM tuner	not	Yes	not
Interfaces	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, line out	Bluetooth, A2DP, NFC	USB 2.0
Signal level, dB	118		123
Formats	MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, WAV, PCM, AIFF, DSD, DFF, DSF, SACD ISO	MP3, WMA, AAC, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, WAV, PCM, AIFF, DSD, DFF, DSF	MP3, WMA, OGG, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, WAV, PCM, AIFF
Additionally	clock, firmware, AirPlay support	digital equalizer, firmware, headphones, metal case	digital equalizer, firmware, clock, metal case
Dimensions, mm	53x93x12	55.7x97.3x10.8	53.2x102x9.2
Weight, gr	83	99	78
Cost, RUB	14.89	19.99	17.99

TOP - premium professional devices

3rd place - Astell & Kern A & norma SR15

Memory - 64 GB + microSD cell.
Opening hours - 8 hours.
Weight - 154 gr.
The cost is 54,990 rubles.

The Astell product is equipped with its own 64 GB memory and a cell for installing an additional 400 GB card. The large screen supports millions of colors like the display of smartphones. The resolution is 480x800 with a display size of 3.3 inches. There is an automatic shutdown timer. The installation is charged in a couple of hours, the battery lasts for 7-8 hours of full listening. Turning on and loading works quickly, in about 15 seconds, there are no delays when switching tracks. The package includes a set of two films. Wireless technologies, Li-Pol-battery are installed inside. With an average dimensions, the thickness of the player can be noted as high - 16.1 mm. Weight does not depend on this. The music can be adjusted with a digital equalizer. If necessary and updates, the player can be re-flashed.

• high-quality manufacturing;
• stylish;
• excellent display brightness;
• lightweight, compact;
• high quality sound with special proprietary filters.

• does not support CUE;
• the apparatus is made with sharp corners.

2nd place - Fiio X7 II

CACHE - 64 GB + 2 microSD cameras.
Opening hours - 8 hours.
Bulky - 212 gr.
The average price is 41,990 rubles.

The device serves for listening to music files of most formats, viewing graphic, text and video files, it has its own browser with Internet access and 2 slots for memory cards, with its own volume of 64 GB. Inside they equipped the Android operating system. The LCD screen distinguishes 16.7 million colors like a standard smartphone. The diagonal is quite large - almost 4 inches, the resolution is high - 480x800. The model provides various outputs and wireless technologies Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The volume control button turns easily, a slight change not a couple of divisions is not felt.

• detailed light sound;
• build quality;
• Beautiful design;
• metal case;
• the possibility of replacing the amplifier;
• picking;
• OS;
• DAC speed;
• 2 slots for cards;
• excellent display;
• two covers included.

• large dimensions;
• firmware glitches are a distinctive feature of the manufacturer's devices;
• short working time;
• not a capacious battery;
• charge sold separately;
• lacks low frequencies.

1st place - Cayin N8

Storage - 128GB + microSD camera.
Opening hours - 8 hours.
Weight - 380 gr.
Price category - 238,000 rubles.

The most expensive Flash player with Hi-Fi functions has a solid steel frame, LCD screen - color, touchscreen, with a diagonal of 3.2 inches, a resolution of 360x480. The gadget is designed without a single sharp corner, the appearance is platinum color, golden buttons betray luxury and vintage style. For all the external solidity, the unit has the usual technical parameters. The internal memory of 128 GB can be expanded with a 512 GB card. The kit contains a branded leather case, coaxial adapters from USB type C to a 3.5 mm mini-jack and RCA, 4.4 mm to 2.5 mm adapters, 2 XLRs. The installation reproduces almost all formats, the sampling rate of files corresponds to 32/384. The watch is a special feature. If the headphones are connected to the unbalanced output, you can choose between a tube amplifier or a solid state amplifier. The watch is a feature of the model.

• looks solid;
• luxurious appearance;
• functionality;
• large amount of memory;
• steel shockproof body;
• high quality sound;
• reproduces almost all formats;
• completeness;
• additional features.

• massive and heavy;
• high price with standard features;
• autonomy.

Summary table 3:

Parameters	Cayin N8	Fiio X7 II	Astell & Kern A & norma SR15
Memory, GB	128	64	64
Slot	1	2	1
Memory card, GB	512	256	400
OS		Android
Working time, h	8	8
Charging connector	USB Type-C	microUSB	microUSB
Screen, inch	3,2	3.97	3.3
Resolution	360x480	480x800	480x800
Viewing video, graphics, text	not	Yes	not
Voice recorder	not	not	not
FM tuner	not	not	not
Interfaces	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Line-Out, USB-Host, Coaxial Out	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, A2DP, line out, optical out, coaxial out	Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, A2DP
Signal level, dB	122	119	122
Formats	MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, WAV, PCM, AIFF, DSD, DFF, DSF, SACD ISO	MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, WAV, PCM, AIFF, DSD, DXD	MP3, WMA, OGG, AAC, FLAC, APE, Apple Lossless, WAV, PCM, AIFF, DSD, DFF, DSF
Additionally	clock, external DAC, metal case, choice of amplifier when connecting headphones	digital equalizer, internet browser, clock, metal case	digital equalizer, firmware, clock, metal case
Dimensions, mm	74x128x21	67.2x128.7x15.5	57.5x99.7x16.1
Weight, gr	380	212	154
Cost, RUB	238	41.99	54.99

Conclusion

Premium Hi-Fi players are equipped with a massive body, a powerful DAC, a large screen and low battery life. Basically, their parameters are similar to those of cheaper devices. Budget devices are made with a slot for a card, do not have their own memory, and sometimes a display and a wireless connection can work for a long time. Devices of the middle price category are designed universally: they have expandable memory, touch screen, dual control. Considering the general characteristics, most models play audio files of various extensions, have high-quality sound and additional solutions. Which model should you choose? It is up to the user to decide, based on their own preferences and quality music.